When The Butterflies Fly Home
by AuroraAustralice
Summary: Commander Draconis Malfoy of Caesars Roman Army has set out to conquer the northern part of Briton. Hermione Granger has been brought up with respect and always been given an equal status as the men in her village. Unknown to her, her father stirs up the rebellion against the Roman Army.She had never experienced harshness and cruelty before but now as a slave that is all she sees.
1. Chapter 1

**_When the Butterflies Fly Home_**

Commander Draconis Malfoy of Caesars Roman Army has set out to conquer the northern part of Briton. He is well trained, ruthless… an assassin without any emotions, without any regard for morality. A bloody thirsty barbarian and one of the most powerful men in Caesar's Army. His ruthlessness and disregard for the local people of Briton helps him crush the rebellion with ease and as a prize he takes the village head-man's daughter as his slave, his prize.

Hermione Granger has been brought up with respect and always been given an equal status as the men in her village. Unknown to her, her father stirs up the rebellion against the Roman Army. Only when she sees the Commander and his men marching into her village followed by a trail of bloodshed does she realize that her protected and cosseted upbringing was now over. She had never experienced harshness and cruelty before but now as a slave to the unfeeling, heartless Draconis that is all she sees.

She fights him at every turn, always trying to run away….

That is until she falls in love with him. But can he love her back?

* * *

**_Warnings:_** Non-Con, Abuse, Slavery, Objectification of Women, Rape, Graphic Violence.

**_Pairings:_** Hermione Granger/ Draco Malfoy.

**_Setting:_** Alternate Universe.

**_Rating:_** Mature

* * *

**_Tell me what you think?_**


	2. Chapter : I

_**Please REVIEW!**_

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home**_

All around him the sounds of the orgy rang out, distracting him from his painful, dark thoughts. Draconis's hands clenched around his goblet of wine, regarding the dark crimson liquid with a far-away expression, lifting it he placed the lip of the fine crystal to his mouth, reveling in the tarty, fruity slightly bitter taste of it as his eyes moved from dancing girl to dancing girl disdainfully. Wondering whore he was going to bed tonight. Maybe the dark-skinned exotic one or the red-head who looked at him with hooded green eyes or maybe both….

Today was a day of celebration of happiness, victory… It was the Draconis's hundredth successful campaign and conquest; today he had beheaded the chief of the Spanish _Norteño _tribe because he dared defy the rule of Caesar.

Draconis was Roma's Enforcer; it's most ruthless _Praefectus_ or Commander. He knew secretly all the men in the Capitol called him a barbarian, but he also knew Caesar would be nothing without him and these fools in togas would barely be able to survive and formulate their policies if he was not there to crush each rebellion that rose in the Great Empire. Roma would be crushed without him and his men, men that were killed barbarically during each battle to fulfill Caesar's wishes of bringing 'civilization' to the other parts of the world.

The red-head danced closer to him, her sultry green eyes enough of an invitation for Draconis. He removed his honorary _amictorium_ and let it unfurl through the air so that it wound itself around her openly displayed hips, catching the other end he forced her to dance infront of him.

His face remained expressionless as he picked up his wine and drank deeply. His lips stained blood-red on his pale face. He felt his arousal stir as he looked over her pale, milky body. Before the night was done he would be buried inside her, till she screamed in ecstasy he thought with a sneer on his handsome, battle worn face. Using words like handsome and attractive to describe something as wild as Draconis Claudius Malfucious was trite or even petty. He was savage and as wild as the very snow covered **Monte Cervino, **his blood pumped only for battle and conquest. His only love was that of death...

He shifted his muscular body on the plush cushions and leaned back to look at the girl with his arctic blue eyes. The slave girl shuddered, Draconis had a reputation of being a generous lover but he made love, like he conquered nations… without emotions, his eyes always shuttered and his face always expressionless. But Zeus knew he was the best of this lot of animals, that's why all the women were vying for his attention. They knew that if he took them to bed, he would not beat them or worse rape them...

The slave felt sorry for the other girls who were looking at their masters of the night with fear. Something that made these men the best of the best of Caesar's Army, the most elite was the fact that they didn't care two hoots about anyone and would crush all resistance whether it be on the battlefield or in the bed room.

The slave shivered covertly and pushed away her black thoughts and focused on her master of the night her eyes dancing over his arrogantly carved face, even with the scar he received when he fought the _Battle of the Iceni_ could not detract from his Adonis looks, he was like a remote ice-burg, with eyes of the cold blue sea and hair that he pulled back in a leather thong so white and pale that it shone with ethereal light when the sun hit it. She was sure his hands were calloused because of the sword he wielded during battle and she felt the small hairs on the nape of her neck stand up and gooseflesh cover her arms in arousal. He was taller, much more so than all these other men. He was intimidating not just physically but even his persona was like that of a lethal jungle cat, so quite that you didn't know when it pounced and cut through your jugular.

Dangerous, black, an omen of death….

Draconis got up, the muscles in his arms bunching threateningly and walked over to the girl who was now stock still, grabbing her by her arm he walked to the archway, dragging her along with him to his bed chamber stopping just for a second to call out in his harsh, gravelly voice.

"Let the feasting continue. Ave!"

And left with her to the sound of his men's drunken cheers, the room was not far and Draconis was impatient. Not that was particularly partial to this slave; it was just that he wanted to erase the dark thought clouding his barbaric mind. He wanted to return to his previous process of carnal, earthy feelings that didn't waste so much of his time while mulling over them.

Pushing open the door of the chamber with savage precision he picked up the girl and threw her across the room, her shocked shriek making no difference to him just as her sigh of relief when she landed on the silken sheets didn't.

"My lord?" she called out confused.

"Silence woman…know you're place before you speak to me." He thundered out harshly as he unfastened his cloak and removed his scabbard and placed it on an ornate table as far from the bed as possible, he had no wish to be killed in his sleep by mere slave.

The slave shrank back at his brutal words and lapsed into silence as commanded as he undressed. He was truly magnificent she thought as she unconsciously licked her dry lips at the sight of the most heart-stoppingly handsome man she had seen in her short life of just seventeen moons. He was perfectly sculptured, with a hard packed abdomen in the hue of golden because of his constant battles out of doors. Legs that stood apart like tree-trunks strong, hard…

"Undress." He commanded in his husky voice.

The slave didn't have to be told twice, her hands fumbled as she tried to undo the fastenings of her _Stola_, discarding it as quickly as possible. Now bare to his cold gaze she felt exposed, vulnerable, like he could see through too her very soul.

Just as Draconis was stalking to the bed, a loud knocking interrupted them.

"I'm sorry to disturb your sport Commander but Caesar asks for you."

* * *

**Stola:** type of garment worn by women in Rome.

_**Iceni :**_A tribe from Briton, who surrendered to Julias Caesar during his second expedition to Britain in 54 BC, Their capital was Venta Icenorum.

**Monte Cervino : Italian Mountain range. Between Italy and Switzerland.**

_**Amictorium :**__ Cloak, Scarves._

_**Norteño**__: North._


	3. Chapter : II

**_Okay so REVIEW for sure guys!_**

**_When the Butterflies Fly Home_**

"Ave Caesar." Said Draconis standing to attention in front of the most powerful man in the western world. Draconis was not one who gave his respect to men easily but Caesar …

The tall dark haired man set down his laurels and turned to his most faithful Commander. His eyes troubled.

"Caesar has called you here today Draconis because Caesar and the rest of Roma requires your assistance once again." He said with an arrogant wave of his hand, though his eyes remained troubled.

Draconis dropped down to a knee and bowed his head, "Speak liege and I shall do as you command."

"Caesar is in despair son of Claudius, the northern end of Briton has risen in rebellion once again. It displeases Caesar much to waste his and the state's military resources on this tiny, minuscule, irrelevant waste of land. With its savage people and cannibalistic druids, they are barbarians Caesar does declare." He ended with his fists clenched in anger. "Make sure you crush this rebellion for good Commander or don't bother retuning from the savage lands…" he said turning his back, effectively dismissing Draconis.

"Ave my lord." Draconis walked out of Caesars study with a swirl of his cloak, he must start formulating his battle strategy at once he thought with a grim smile on his face. The savages were excellent fighters and with their women coming to battle as well they would have warriors to equal the number of Roman centurions, Draconis would have to attack from sea. Thick forests covered the entire land making it a perfect place for the savages to hide; they must know that the legionaries would be there soon, they would be in the forests watching the coastline at all hours.

Draconis could not formulate a surprise attack, the mountains were treacherous and the weather cold and cruel unlike here in Roma where the sun shone throughout the year his men would not be able to handle it.

As he walked out of Caesar's home and into the engulfing darkness he felt his feelings of restlessness and impatiens relax. He was going where he belonged, to the battle field where felt most at home with the blood and gore and the stench of death around him, a scarlet stained sword in his hand and his enemy under his foot… crushed.

Maybe he was a barbarian after all; a barbarian garbed and masqueraded in the clothes and manners of a gentleman….

* * *

Draconis stood at the bow of the ship his eyes sharp and alert and his ears intune with the sounds of his men sharpening their swords and _hastas_ and _pilums_ , besides that all he could hear was the steady rush of the cold seas waves against the hull of the boat. It was at the same time soothing as well as ominous, Draconis had a feeling that this battle would change everything for him….

The cold wind chafed his skin, blowing through his tunic and Braccae, the druids here must be true magicians thought Draconis to be able give their people powers to fight with no warm garments just garbed in the paints of their tribes. He felt the change in the pressure against the ship, he knew that they were fast approaching the shores and as always he felt the fresh zing of energy buzz through his veins at the prospect of a fight. His men looked at him awaiting his next command.

"We fight for Caesar the bringer of prosperity and civilization. _Persaluto! _May the Gods be with you! May courage not desert you! May you reap your rewards with grace! May you serve your county and liege with dignity and if you die may you die with a sword in your hands, your country's name on your lips and bravery in your heart. _Animi, Gravitate, Virtute, Fide, Societate, Rem Publicam. Egredere Homines Jovem Benedicat tibi!" _he addressed them, listening with satisfaction as their cheers rose. "Zeus is with you!"

Grabbing his lance and sword Draconis leapt from the hull of ship into the icy waters and strode forward… his sword lifted and his lips parted in the battle cry. It wasn't long before the villagers came storming out of the forests, their crassly made weapons glinting in the faint sunlight, their bodies glistened with blue dye, so horrific and unearthly yet not enough to cause Draconis's men to falter in their mission.

The Romans charged forward and were met half way by the naked, horrific barbarians. And their swords cut through them like butter….

Draconis went after the man at the back, the one he knew to be the chief who stirred up the rebellion, the man's stony gaze and sure footed stance told Draconis what he needed to know of this fools character. He was noble, but a fool all the same.

Under Caesar they would have had temples, libraries, aqueducts, schools for their children to study in, markets for their wives to shop in, roads for them to commute on and trade in abundance but now all they would have is a destroyed, arid land and children who cursed their forefathers legacy.

The chief stepped forward, he knew he was going to die, Draconis saw it in his eyes but the least he could do was die with dignity so Draconis was going to give him the death of a warrior, a death of dignity.

He slashed forward, the chief charged too, blocking Draconis expertly landed yet light blow. Other than the clang of swords in front of him Draconis blocked everything else out, parrying, slashing, blocking until finally the chief began to lose his breath and at that moment Draconis chose to let him die in dignity and cut of his head in one fell swoop….

Draconis turned and saw all around him that the blood of so many was spilled, the dead Romans and the dead Britons would be burned together because in death we are all the same, unencumbered by the bonds of family, tribe, country, race, creed, gender. They would burn together as great warriors who fought for their own causes with bravery and grace.

Many of the captured Britons were bound and being transported to the ship where they would be taken to Roma and later sold as slaves or perhaps let free to find jobs and live a free life.

Draconis turned to his second – in- command Leonardo Di-Medici and said, "Warp the chief in white and ask one of these men where the village is, I think it's time we crushed this insolence from its root."

Doing as he was told Leonard soon was marching along with Draconis as they walked through the heavily canopied forest. Two of his legionaries carried the clan chief's body on a make shift palanquin made of two logs and tied with rope to make crude but effective transportation device.

Draconis could see the smoke rising up from above the treetops and soon enough before them stood a crass, flimsy wooden barrier, Draconis commanded his men to break down the door and the moment it fell he marched inside, followed by his men.

"What is this?!" cried out a scared yet defiant female voice and in front of him stood a girl so short and delicate that she looked like she would break under the weight of the longsword she was holding. "We haven't caused you any harm Romans, leave our village alone!"

"You must surely jest maiden, it is this barbarian clan's chief who started the rebellion." Broke in Leonardo furiously.

"Nay, father would not do that, he is a peace loving man. A sentiment you Roman's will not understand! Us barbarians indeed! Perhaps you have not seen your self's too well in your mirrors Oh! Self-righteous fool!" The girl cried out angrily.

Draconis stepped forward and slapped the girl across her face. "Do you see any men here, you stupid woman? And dare you speak to one of your lord's once again like that, that tongue will be cut off. Now answer me. Did you know about the rebellion?" he rasped out uncaring of the gasps of the women and children around him.

"How dare you call yourself my lord?! I tell you I knew nothing of this rebellion you speak of and nor does my village!" she said hotly picking herself up.

"Bring the scum forward Leo." Commanded Draconis as he reached forward and caught the struggling girl's wildly curling sable hair in his grip.

As soon as the cotton was cut away, he heard the girl gasp behind him and begin to choke back her sobs.

"Is that your father?" he said cruelly.

"Yes." She whispered.

"And is that the war paint they wear before battle?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Is that what you want to hear you brute! Let me go! Let me go I beg you!" she cried out trying to reach her deceased fathers body. "Oh how can you be so cruel?" she wept when he kept his hold on her hair, "I beseech you, let me mourn his death! Let me go!" Draconis shoved her aside so she fell on the ground near her dead father's body and gave her a disgusted look.

"This land is ours now!" he said addressing the villagers who looked at him in fear, ignoring the loud sobs of the girl at his feet. "Round them up." He said turning to his men.

"Oh! You're heartless, cruel and vile." Screamed the dainty girl, getting up and pounding on his chest with her small hands.

"Don't play with fire little girl." He snarled catching her fists in a death grip and pulling her to him, "You just might get burned…"

* * *

_hastas_ and _pilums :javelins and spears ._

Braccae : Woolen pants

_Persaluto! : Salute._

_animi, gravitate, virtute, fide, societate, rem publicam. Egredere homines Jovem benedicat tibi_! : courage , dignity , bravery , loyalty , fraternity , patriotism. Go forth men, Zeus Bless you!

**_ \_**


	4. Chapter : III

**_Guy's Reviews are writers gold, you know when a person puts in the effort to write and post something on a site like FanFiction for your reading pleasure it's the least you can do to leave behind what you think of their work. What you feel. How it connects to you. Do you enjoy it? Will you like to read more of it? Suggestions, questions, opinions, share your ideas, which is how great storytellers are born, great ideas are born, the magic remains... So do review and_** **_rate_**.

* * *

**_When the Butterflies Fly Home_**

Hermione Granger waited till she was in her small cottage at the edge of the forest before she wept. All in one day her peaceful existence had been turned upside down. A loving, adoring, cosseting father killed in a rebellion that she had suspected but never had the heart to stop, she knew they would lose, she knew her father would be hurt but this was his dream … that one day they be free of the Roman rule to live like clans were meant to live.

A dream that had now cost her, her freedom, today even the scent of her flowers failed to calm her down. Dames Rocket and Evening Primrose filled her nose with their sweet, cloying scent and she sought to forget her nightmares in the dreams they induced with their fragrance. The entire morning her tiny village was rounded up and branded… woman: slave, man: worker, child: slave. Branded…Like they were common cattle, rounded up and herded by the Romans who thought it apt treatment for 'barbarians' like them. Was this the way to treat another human being? Hermione wanted to scream and yell and appeal to their basic humanity, they were dragging children away from their parents and people put of their homes… kicking and screaming.

Hermione ran away because she could see no more of this torture, it hurt her tender heart each time they hauled a screaming child from her mother's arms and the mother looked at her with…. Betrayal, anger, bitterness. She was their mistress no longer, she was the daughter of the man who had caused the deaths of these women's husbands, brother, sons.

Hermione was all alone… so alone….

A sharp knock on her door woke her from her pained thoughts and she got up and walked to the door, raising a trembling hand to open it because she knew what awaited her outside. She was no different than the others, they had come to take her now…

Outside her house, eyeing it with a coldly disdainful gaze was the tall Commander, Hermione felt her breath catch in her throat at the sight of his utter perfection. How could someone so rotten inside, someone with a penchant for blood and gore, torture and cruelty be so breathtakingly, heartbeat pumpingly, pulse racingly handsome?

She hated him; she hated everything he stood for, everything he fought for. His ruler, his religion, his country…. Yet she also felt the irrationally irregular, unusual, irritating, arousing pulse of awareness when he looked down at her with his soulless silvery eyes, which reflected the light of the very moon when it waxed to its fullest. Hermione wondered what could it be that made this man's eyes so lifeless, so cold yet so very intense that they could suck the very breathe from your lips.

Had she gone completely MAD! She screamed at herself inside her head, here he was coming to collect her for slavery, maybe even to sell her to a brothel! And she was waxing poetic of his eyes! Her mind had gone grass grazing today... clearly!

She needed the distraction; she reasoned that's what she was doing distracting herself from thoughts of her father. She would not allow herself to dwell on sadness; her father wanted her to live! He wanted her to be happy… he wanted her to have a life.

And she was not going to spend it in grieving; she would fight these Romans, she would fight this Commander, she would fight Caesar of she had too, to keep her father's memory alive. She thought firming her conviction and adding kindling to the pulsating fire of her hatred…

"What do you want?" she attempted to snarl out but it came out as more like a shriek, her small body blocking the entrance of her house.

"Come outside daughter of the chief, its time you were tagged too." Said Draconis a sneer curling onto his arrogantly sculptured lips.

Immediately Hermione admittedly low courage deserted her and she began to stutter, "Where…. Where aa..aa.r ..are you going to send me?"

"You are going to be a slave girl." Said the dark hair youth beside the Commander, he was smirking at her and his eyes…. They were traveling over her worn and constantly darned woolen gown's bodice, lingering where her breasts were.

"Di-Medici I believe you want a slave, so go select one from there." Intervened the tall, gruff voice Commander.

"Could I have this one Commander?" Replied Di-Medici without taking his eyes off Hermione.

"I don't think so pup." Growled out Draconis, "I'm taking her…"

…


	5. Chapter : IV

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home**_

Hermione knew she shouldn't have done it but as the night fell over the tree tops, spilling its shadows down their trunks and letting them seep across the ground to where she lay gasping for breath at the base of the large Oak she began to feel scared, terrified. The large moon had replaced the bright sun in the sky and Hermione swore she could hear snow wolves howl their eerie howl to pay homage to it.

She should not have escaped…. She was looking for the house of the village druid; maybe he would give her sanctuary till she could escape to her elder sister's clan. Every time she moved dried twigs and brown leaves crunched under her hands _Druantia_ be with her for she was so afraid she was going to be the next meal of the creatures of the forests that lurked after dark.

Her body ached and her stomach growled and Hermione was a hopeless hunter. There were no weapons to be had; all Hermione had were the clothes on her back. How she was going to get to her sister, she didn't know….

All she knew was that she was not going back to the Roman, suddenly a low growling emanated from her left and Hermione whipped her head around to look at the bushes from which a pair of terrible red eyes was glaring back at her. Hermione began to shake and the growling increased in tempo, a large wolf stalked out from behind the leaves. His large mouth open and foaming with saliva, its massive yellow teeth and risen hackles told Hermione exactly what she was to him…. His next piece of meat…if she moved he would pounce and she would die, if she remained still he would pounce and she would die.

Hermione felt trapped… there was no way out for her and to make matters worse the bushes around her began to move and slowly the entire pack emerged eyeing her with growing hunger, just as the alpha was about to leap Hermione heard the thundering of hooves in the distance. The wolves heard it too, their long ears twitching to attention and then they moved closer , stalking near her to avoid detection …. Closer…closer…closer until! The loud crack of a whip sent them all turning to look …. It was the Roman soldiers astride on horses, magnificently cold as they glared down at her and at their helm was the Commander riding a massive black destrier, with the moonlight glinting of his silvery hair. The giant stallion pawed the ground and snorted, his large eyes rolling to the back of his head, again the Commander took out his whip and lashed it, sending it directly towards Hermione's neck and cowling it around her neck …. Nearly choking her….

The rest of the Roman riders galloped forward with their swords unsheathed and began to slash at the wolves, that whimpered pathetically and took off into the thick undergrowth with their tails between their legs. As soon as the wolves were gone Hermione felt mixed emotions, had they remained they would have given her a quick death but now that they were gone she had to endure whatever this Roman had planned for her, she thought while futilely trying to remove the leather of the whip from her neck. He tugged on it and Hermione felt herself choke… so she allowed herself to be dragged to him like a common criminal… hissing and spitting like an enraged cat.

The Commander jumped down lithely from the stallion, running his hand gently over the skittish creature's velvet nose and murmuring to it in Latin. Considerably less could be said of his treatment of her as he wrapped his hand around her neck, replacing the whip and squeezed till she was lost of breath and growled out in accented English, "Little whore, did you really think I was going to let you escape like that? You are now the property of a Roman Commander and even barbarians like you must have some etiquette!" he snarled, his minty breath washing over her shivering body.

"Draconis, we must return." Said one of his officers tersely.

The Commander or Draconis picked up Hermione tiny body by wrapping his hands around her curvy hips and lifted her onto the destrier with ease; Hermione screamed and hurled out a few choice abuses in Latin, pounding on the chest of her, jailer/rescuer. Draconis just chuckled amused and covered her full lips with one large calloused hand of his. "Such words from the mouth of a woman? Tsk..tsk.. I think silence suites you much better slave."

The night was cold and Hermione was tired, she decided she would continue her fight another day and settled down silently but straight, not wanting to lean on _Draconis_ she thought with contempt, fifteen minutes into the ride her bones ached but she refused to give into the warm, inviting circle of flesh behind her, she shut her eyes as she slumped forward….

Draconis looked down at the little fighter amused, as soon as she had fallen asleep over Mikalos, he had eased her back against him and now she was curled up against him with her tiny hands clutching his clothes in utmost trust. It was so rare to see a woman so absolutely innocent, as pure as freshly fallen snow. Maybe he had just grown used to the jaded, money hungry women of Rome but this one set his blood humming. No one had since Irene…

Draconis shook that unwanted thought off and focused on guiding Mikalos out of the craggy, mountainous jungle, behind him he could hear the soft and sometimes threating sounds of the forest.

After an hour or so of riding Draconis caught sight of the Roman camp set up in the village, shaking the girl roughly he woke her up and bound her wrists and ankles with rope. Hermione was groggy and disoriented as the Roman dragged her to her cottage and tied her up at the base of her bed. What was he doing?

Coming back with a small tray with some food, he set it down infront of her and cut away her ropes and said in rough English, "Don't try and run, this place is overrun with Romans. Here is some food, fruit and cheese. Eat… it is to be a long journey tomorrow."

Before she touched the food she asked him, "Why are you being so kind to me Roman?"

"It is master to you girl and I am not being kind… I'd just rather you didn't die tomorrow on the ship." He snarled out and left her with the food, returning only when she had finished to bind her up again.

"And don't think you won't be punished…" he told her as he walked out, setting Hermione heart thumping painfully…..

….

_Druantia: Goddess of forests and nature._


	6. Chapter : V

_**Let me please remind you all that this is set in the Roman times and though Draconis may seem cruel to you, he really is not, he is not heartless, he is not abusing her. This is just the way slaves were treated at that time. It will take time for him to see her as human because right now he just sees her as an object. Also there will be a lot of whipping and beating and raping so those of you who haven't read my warning… please do and if you are uncomfortable with them do not I repeat DO NOT read this story. It is gory and bloody and mean not a fairytale where they meet and fall in love instantly.**_

_**Thank you and PLEASE REVIEW! **_

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home**_

The guard dragged Hermione by her upper arm to a dark holding cell, safe to say once she had eaten and her energy had been restored she had given Draconis a hell of a time. Satisfaction trickled through her as she remembered him swearing loudly when she bit him on the hand, that's what the brute got for man handling her.

She was sure that she would receive punishment for that as well, along with her running away stunt but she couldn't care less. He could punish her all he wanted… she would NEVER stop fighting him… NEVER!

She was roughly pushed into a dark rather smelly cell in the dungeon of Draconis's house and locked. Barely a sliver of light same through a small window on the door of the cell and Hermione prayed, prayed that he would sell her or maybe just leave her to be executed.

She couldn't bear to become a slave, she had heard stories of Roman slaves… that they were meant to be whores brought for pleasure and that Roman masters were cruel and heartless and if the slave didn't comply they would rape them and beat them to within an inch of their lives.

That was not how Hermione wanted to live; she would rather die by a gladiator's sword then face the fate Draconis had in store for her. Curling up in one corner of the dingy cell she prayed, her tiny hands plucking at the dry, curling straw under them, bone fragments and dried blood was littered all over the cell but Hermione was just thankful that the guard had not locked her in the chains hanging from the ceiling she hated to think about what had happened to the prisoners kept in this cell. It was almost like she could hear their screams of pain and their hoarse pleading voices asking to be let free… begging.

Suddenly the door was thrown open and the big, hulking guard walked inside and ordered her to stand up and informed her in Latin that his master would see her now. Hermione shivered, suddenly feeling chilled at the prospect of meeting the Commander.

She was brought out of the cellars and taken to an opulent set of bed chambers and just as Hermione began to imagine the worst , a silky yet gruff voice broke into her thoughts and said, "I don't plan to have sex with you… just now anyway, your filthy." And Hermione turned to see Draconis sneering down at her.

"That was the last thing on my mind!" she huffed out offended.

"Don't talk back girl!" he thundered and Hermione cowered back, the chains around her hands and feet preventing her from moving.

"Now then…" he said, "Lets read out your charges shall we, running away, disobeying your master, biting you master… must I continue?" he sneered at her.

"You deserved it, every bit of it! I hate you! I hate you! You killed my father you bastard! " she yelled at him. Draconis gave her a bored look and removed a rag from his trousers deftly stuffing it into her mouth and tying it.

"Silence is truly golden..." he mused and walked up to his shelf from where he removed a whip with multiple strands of leather linked to a staff made of engraved gold.

"Ten lashes, it's lenient but it ought to teach you the lesson." He said with an expressionless face.

Hermione began to whimper, if only she didn't have this gag….

The first lash she heard before she felt, and when she did feel it, it cut through her soft skin like butter. She had a feeling that he was being as gentle as possible yet she could not stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks.

"My lord," came a sudden voice from outside the door and Hermione breathed a sigh of relief as Draconis dropped the whip, "Lady Irene awaits without."

Hermione felt the tension take over Draconis, his eyes became hooded and his face became colder than ice.

"Let her in..." he commanded.

Five minutes later the door was thrown open and a tall, blond woman swept in. She had the coldest eyes Hermione had ever seen, calculating and conniving…

"Draconis my darling." She came forward to embrace him.

"What is it you want _stepmother _, does it have something to do with father?" he said coldly.

"Now now… Draconis is that anyway to greet your stepmother?" She chided him.

"You were my whore before you became my father wife Irene, I will always treat you like my whore. Now tell me what is it you want or get out, don't you have some other rich bastard you want to trap?" Draconis rasped out furiously.

"I thought you loved me Draconis?" she said with a faux sad face and a pout.

"I'll love your kind the day God loves the Devil. Now get out Irene, I'm busy."

With a huff the tall woman swept out of the room offended and Hermione looked at her Commanders clenched fist and body held taut, he walked up to her and roughly removed the gag..

"You still love her don't you?" she said without thinking.

"I don't see how that is any of your concern slave but yes I do…" he snarled out.

"You could just give me to be executed and be with her." Hermione said hopefully.

Draconis just looked down at her and laughed coldly, "You'd rather die than live with me? Let me tell you something about the execution little girl." He said hoarsely

"The gladiators fight to put you to death or the maybe you'll be given to the lions. Hungry, starved, half-mad creatures who will chase you and rip you apart till you wish you never opened your mouth and said this stupid thing. You can smell each of their putrid breaths on the back of your neck even if the arena is open, all you can hear is the sound of their snarls… they will stalk you and hunt you and kill you…" he finished, "You want to die, rather than live with me?"

And before Hermione could stop herself she blurted out, "What happened to you?"

…


	7. Chapter : VI

_**Please do REVIEW!**_

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home**_

"What happened to me is none of your concern slave." Said Draconis regaining his composure, his face shuttered again, his wild, bleak eyes draining of emotion. He walked over to a table and picked up a decanted of crystal and pored himself something clear into a goblet and took a swing of it and then pouring the entire thing down his throat.

Hermione's heart thumped painfully as he walked back to where the whip had fallen and picked it up, running his long elegant fingers over the gold handle. He looked at it with fierce concentration before his face morphed into an expression of such savage anger and hatred that Hermione felt it seep through to her very soul, chilling it… his jaw clenched and flame of anger ripped through his cold eyes making them glimmer like jewels, precious… wicked… furious gems of destruction. His eyes cut though Hermione like a lethal weapon.

He loathed her; to him she was less than an insect…

He picked up the gag and pushed it back into her mouth, lifting his whip to strike her again… and this time he was not gentle, his blows were cruel and vicious cutting though her skin and drawing her life's blood. The cracking sound as the whip whistled through the air made Hermione numb.

This was what she was now… so she took the blows without a sound but the tears she didn't stop or bother to hide, she didn't cry because of the lashes or the blood, she cried because of the death of her independence, she cried for the death of her individuality, she cried for Draconis's cold soul. She cried because she could do no more than cry….

At last when he put the whip down, his face remained the same… burning with anger and hatred like a mask of death, his tanned hands pulled her gag forth yet were careful not to touch her skin…

This was what Hermione was reduced to… this was what her fate was… it was a good thing she didn't believe in fate.

….

_Is my love so destructive? Is it always necessary that love be light and happy, is love never dark and consuming and deathlike. I loved her to distraction but to her I was a mere distraction. My soul is consumed in hell fire for I loved a whore… the darkness of the gladiator cells and the putrid smell of the creatures breaths seem to be a life time away. Yet I must not forget them, for they are the result of my destructive love, they are the result of my consuming obsession, they are the result of the sale of my soul to her. _

_She has engulfed me in mire so deep, that I know nothing else. When the slave asked me today if I loved her I had no answer. For I love her yet I hate her, every time he caresses her, touches her it burns my very black soul and I loathe him… I loathe him and his fearless giving. I am a shade, a mere shadow of a man of a human, I am death…. I am fear and now I am alone, alone in this endless night, alone in this hell of my own creation, alone in my isolation, solitary is all I know to be. She has taken all that I am, she has taken my soul and my heart. I abhor her and I adore her, she repulses me and I revere her. Now I am just a shadow, a shadow of death…._

Draconis wrote even though his hands shook, this was his third goblet of liquor. Seeing Irene had shaken him today, shaken him to his very soulless, dark depths.

She had done well for herself he thought bitterly. So well that she was always close enough to taunt him and tease him and break his spirit further. Death was the only release he could have from her, for she haunted even his nightmares and was within reach in his dreams. Dreams so real that he woke with hope only to crash back to reality in his empty bed. He was a shade, a shadow…

He could not seem to numb the pain so he poured himself another goblet of the burning liquid. Maybe he could burn her away from his system? Or maybe he could just learn to live with pain…

Hermione reluctantly walked to Draconis's door. It was her job this week to see if he needed something during the night so she had to stand outside his door or inside his chamber if he wished her to.

"Master?" she said grimacing at the bitter taste of that word as she knocked at his door. When she heard no reply, a sudden ominous feeling took over her and she tentatively pushed the door open and glanced inside.

Draconis was sprawled on the bed, still in the clothes of the morning. Hermione winced when she remembered the morning, the stinging cuts on her back would remained her every second of everyday that she hated this man. Yet she was curious girl, so quietly she pushed the door open and walked into his room, her bare feet making no sound.

There were a number of books on his desk and her eyes lit up at the prospect of sneaking some of them out with her. Hermione was educated in Latin and English as well half a dozen other languages and the craft of healing and potions, she had been studying with the druid when Draconis and his men came storming into the village, she didn't have time to collect any of her books which she now bitterly regretted.

The desk was neat, vellum and parchment to one side and quills to another while stacks and stacks of books decorated both ends of the desk. An open book with long cursive caught her eye and Hermione reached down to pick it up, just then a large calloused hand caught her own tiny one and Hermione turned to look at the furious face of her master…


	8. Chapter : VII

_Answer to the question asked by DracoLover_ : Butterflies have the life span of only 2 days, once they have grown their wings and fly away, they never return home. Where they were born, hence it signifies the end of Hermione's freedom, the fact that she will never go home again.

I seem to be getting a lot of guest reviews on this story; I just wanted to remind you all to be sure to review.

* * *

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home **_

"What are you doing here?" Draconis growled lowly, his hand tightening painfully around Hermione's wrist, till she could hear the delicate, fine bones begin to grind together.

"Let go of me… master." She said in a quivering voice, quivering with rage… "I may be a slave but I will not be manhandled, not by you … not by anyone!"

"I asked you something you insolent little whore… what are you doing here?" he said his voice dropping to a lethal cold snarl, that made the hair at the back of her neck stand in fear.

"I was just curious, I wanted to see the books." She said softly, not wanting to antagonize him and get a repeat of the morning. She was still facing away from him; she didn't want to see the look on his face…

Draconis's calloused, large hand moved up to his slaves slim upper arm, which he took hold off forcefully and turned her around to face him.

His face was a mask of loathing and the same expression was reflected back in her defiant eyes. "You dare." He snarled, "You dare, talk back to me!" he said his hand gripping her arm with increasing force, making her want to cry out in pain. Bust she held it in, no she would not give him the satisfaction of her tears.

And without warning he threw her down on the ground, using his superior height and strength to push her down into a submissive position forcefully. An unconscious scream ripped forth from Hermione's lips… loud and chilling.

"Shut up you bitch!" he yelled at her, his hands now coming around her throat, his eyes feral. Hermione could see he was clearly not in his senses, he was drunk and his anger and his rage had taken over his mind. "Just shut up, before I kill you…" he said savagely grinding his hands into her throat.

Hermione struggled hopelessly, clawing at his hands in the vain hope that he would let her go. And as his hands let up a bit she screamed, pounding on his chest…

"Let me go you brute!" she shrieked, "I hate you, let me go! You're going to kill me… LET ME GO!" Draconis's hold didn't yield, summoning all her might she kicked out catching him off guard, hitting him on his sternum, making him reel over in pain….

As he let go of her she took off towards the door only to find it locked, she searched frantically for a key, hoping to find one before he got up of the floor.

She had no such luck… a few minutes later Draconis advanced towards her, his cold laughter echoing of the walls of the room. "You really didn't think I'd lock the room, if I caught a little snooping whore?" he said sarcastically. Advancing towards her with intent glinting in her cold eyes.

"You're exactly like her… I caught her doing the same thing the first night she was here. Only then I was naïve and believed her. Now I know how to recognize your kind from miles away."

Hermione now understood what was happening; he was drunk and had mistaken her for someone else. So making her voice gentle, she moved closer to another door that she was sure led out of the room. "Master, you're not yourself tonight. Rest, I think you might remember who I am in the morning…" she said resting her hand on the door handle.

He laughed again coldly, "That leads to the bath house, nowhere to escape Irene… not this time." he said in a taunting voice.

He thought she was his stepmother! Hermione almost laughed at the silliness of the notion, there was nothing remotely the similar between her and the blond goddess that was his stepmother and suddenly something he said before hit Hermione like a ton of bricks…

"_You were my whore before you became my father's wife."_

"_Don't you have another rich man to trap?"_

"_I was naive before, but now I can see your kind from miles away." _

Clearly there were some unresolved issues there and now that he was drunk, Draconis wasn't thinking straight.

Hermione needed to make her escape fast, he was getting closer so she did the only thing she could think of, she picked up an ornate vase from the table behind her and inched back.

"I'll hit you if you come any closer!" she squeaked, her high-pitched voice betraying her fear.

Draconis continued to move towards her and the candle light suddenly glinted of a small, mean looking dagger in his right hand, his wild eyes completely uninhabited.

That's when she caught sight of it, a tiny key glinting on the sheets of his unmade bed, chucking the vase at his head she dashed towards it before he had time to recover and pushed it into the key hole.

As soon as the lock clicked, Hermione felt relief flooding her system and she rushed out of his room, not even stopping for a second to see how he was faring.

As soon as she was out she locked the door from outside, oblivious to his enraged yells.

Looking around her she realized she was all alone in the vast house, so walking to the closest hall cupboard she snagged a centurion uniform, praying she didn't run into one of them men patrolling the castle. Pushing her curly locks into a helmet and covered herself with a cloak, she sneaked out of the house, shocked at how easy it was to escape from the castle.

Looking around her to see if anyone caught her, she ran out into the night….

…..


	9. Chapter : VIII

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home**_

Draconis awoke with a splitting headache; it was like an anvil was being shoved against the edges of his skull. Stumbling, he held the end of his study table in an attempt to stand. Why was he on the floor?

Suddenly fuzzy images from last night became sharper in his pain addled mind, squeezing the delicate neck of a woman and hearing her scream out in pain… picking up a dagger, insulting her… but for the life of him he couldn't remember the face of the woman.

He cursed out loud in words his mother would have washed his mouth out for if she ever saw him use, he might just have killed an innocent woman in a drunken rage and he couldn't remember her face!

Damn the creation of liquor… damn Irene, this was all her fault. Whenever she showed up at his house he always ended up becoming a mess. He looked at the mess on his desk and his open diary and a sweet, melodious voice floated into his conscience…

"_You maybe my master, but you cannot manhandle me!" _

And just like that it clicked; it was the slave girl he had taken from his last conquest! He had so many slaves that he couldn't even remember her name or what she looked like, he thought he had been whipping her when Irene came but he couldn't be sure….

He looked out into his private bath to see if she was there, hoping not to find her in a pool of blood, he was relieved not to see her there. Sighing with relief mingled with exasperation he walked to the door, dreading his apology to her.

He tried to push open his door only to find that it was shut firmly, not budging. Looking around his room for the key he was baffled when he didn't find it and like a wave last night's ending came back…. the girl throwing an extremely expensive Egyptian vase at his head and then locking him into his own room while he had yelled at her.

Draconis felt a new wave of rage rise inside him and pounded on the door until one of his guards heard him and used the master key to get him out.

"Where is she?" he snarled as he stalked into the kitchen. The cook looked up, surprised at the sight of their usually immaculate employer looking gaunt and filthy, his silky long hair looked limp as it hung around his broad shoulders and his face showed the growth of a day's stubble. His eyes had dark circles under them and he stunk of alcohol. "W.H.E.R.E is she?" he asked again, enunciating each world until it left like daggers were leaving his lips.

"Where is who my lord?" asked the quivering, terrified looking cook.

"The new slave you blithering moron!" he yelled harshly.

"I…I…I have no clue m..my lord." Said the shaking man fearfully.

Draconis shook his head angrily and stalked out of the room followed by his rather scared looking guards.

"Is there no one in this house who noticed her missing!" he bellowed furiously, "Are all of you complete and utter fools! Why are you still standing here, search for her!" he thundered.

He took off towards the slave's quarters, ignoring the startled gasps of the women as he walked in on them in various stages of undress. Standing in the center of the room he snarled out, "A reward of a hundred silver if someone tells me where the Britionian slave is." He declared.

"She has not returned since last night my lord." Said a bold, large breasted woman he had bedded before. "She was seen coming out of your rooms but never after that."

Draconis knew what this meant; the little minx had run away again, his eyes took on a cold light and his lips curled into a cold, cruel sneer.

Let the hunt begin, he thought with contempt. And this time he would not spare her….

Turning to one of his soldiers her barked out, "Send out a messenger, she couldn't have gone too far yet. Anyone who spots her at the posts must send her back…"

"My lord, will you ride out yourself if she is found?"

"Yes..."

….

They had seen her, Hermione was sure of it so without thinking she just ran, her bare feet chafing against the hot road she ran on, it had been a few hours since she left the Commanders house and she had begun to ache everywhere and she had no idea where she was or where she was going.

She was sure that she had finger shaped bruises around her neck and she was hungry as hell but she just mindlessly ran and ran and ran until they caught up with her on horses.

Kicking and screaming and biting she was thrown on top of a horse and carried back to the guard post like a sack of grain. The moment they had spotted her the centurions had sent Draconis a message and now he was five minutes away.

Hermione heart gave a painful thump as she saw the dust rise with the approach of horses. Right infront was HE, the man she hated beyond all else and on top of that he was smirking! Hermione renewed her struggles until she was bound tightly in chains and gagged.

Draconis gave her a pleased smirk and collected her like a bag of wheat and took her back to his house.

* * *

_**Day One **_

The moment they brought her back, she was chucked screaming into a solitary dark cell that smelt of decay and blood. She was resolute, if she disobeyed him long enough he would give her to the gladiator's. There was no light in the cell and she curled up into a ball in one corner. He would let her out, sooner or later… wouldn't he?

_**Day Five **_

Hermione would stay strong she thought half crazed in isolation, rocking back and forth she talked to herself. Maybe... maybe they would put someone else here, so that she could talk to them. Maybe… maybe….

_**Day Seven**_

She would pray all day she would pray maybe God would take pity on her and just kill her here. Oh she was so lonely. Not even the guards would talk to her. Her body was starved for sunlight and human contact but she was not given either. Maybe if she starved herself…

_**Day Ten **_

"Let me out!" she wailed sobbing, "Please let me out!" she shrieked.

"Have mercy, please! Oh!Please!" she wailed. Her hands clawing at the massive iron door as the guard left, chucking her food on the ground near her. As soon as he was gone, Hermione knew no one else could hear her, so she just returned to her corner and began to rock, back and forth… back and forth… back and forth. Her eyes wide open and scared.

_**Day Fifteen **_

She was sobbing, that's all she did these days, cried… and prayed, she had gone mad in this cell…. Mad…

And suddenly the door opened and like a beacon of light, Draconis stepped inside. His eyes roving over her ragged clothes and her bloody hands with mild pride and sure disgust.

"Are you ready to behave slave?" he asked her in his gravelly voice.

"Yes." She whispered through her tears. "Yes master I'll behave… please get me out of here. Please…"

Draconis moved closer to her and reached down and tipped back her heart shaped face, feeling slightly guilty as he looked at the tear tracks down her filthy cheeks and her taut cheekbones.

"Good because I sold you…"

…..


	10. Chapter : IX

_**Okay People, this story is going to be Dramione. I know it does not seem that way now but it will develop slowly so be patient!**_

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home **_

Draconis was sitting with his friends Blaise and Luna Zabini in the massive parlor of his house; they were having a private viewing of his slave, Draconis had a number of potential buyers lined up but it seemed kind to give her to Blaise and Luna after all the punishments she had been through, Luna was a very-very kind.

The kind of person who you would love instantly… dreamy… lost... slightly eccentric but all in all an angel whom his friend Blaise had taken one look at and falling in love with. Now married five years they were the happiest and most in love couple Draconis had ever seen.

"It's barbaric darling! We can't do it!" Luna said, her usually soft voice rising a bit. "I cannot treat a human being with emotions and thoughts like an object! It is just so… so… wrong!" she said her gold headdress coming of her tumbling golden hair in her distress.

"But Luna, I belong to one of the Roman royal families, buying a slave is customary!" said Blaise helplessly.

"I don't care…" she said adamantly, "Blaise we are not here buying cattle and plants. This is a real human being and I will not stand for it! So I'm sorry Draconis darling but absolutely not. Not even all the gold in Rome could coerce me to treat another human being like that!" She passionately and got up from her chair, Blaise just gave Draconis a helpless look and followed his wife to the exit.

Draco sighed and sat back in his chair, taking a sip of his wine. The next buyer according to his list was Marco Flaccus and his wife Horatia. Draconis hated Marco and he had slept with his wife, so this next meeting was going to uncomfortable to say the least.

Unfortunately Marco was extremely rich, he was also a sadistic bastard but offered enough gold Draconis was willing to part with his slave… even if it was to give her to Marco. Another thing he dreaded about this meeting was Horatia's less than subtle flirtations and gestures, he and Marco would be at sword-point at the end of the night if he caught his wife flirting.

An old man servant announced their entrance and Draconis braced himself.

Marco… a warrior once upon a time looked like a man who had let the good life get to him, his beefy body was now plump and covered in rolls of fat. His matted blond hair clung to his sweaty forehead and as he waddled, his jowls quivered in an attempt to pull his face into a smile. His skin was a nasty red from the sun and his light blue eyes looked around Draconis's home with greedy interest. Marco was now a liaison between Egypt and Roma, a corrupt officer as one had ever seen but he was clever, he had to be for Caesar despised underhanded dealings with other nations. Most of Marco's money came from aforementioned underhanded dealings, he ran an illegal slave trading racket, more specifically he ran a sex slave trading racket that raked in the gold week after week. The slaves were supplied from small Egyptian villages and sold to rich Roman officers.

Horatia had no objections with this arrangement because it kept her in gold and jewels. Horatia was the daughter of a small time traveling merchant who had used her looks and charm to enter the high society of Rome when she was a teenager.

Charmed by her blond looks an older spinster had taken her in as her ward an introduced her to Roma. Marco's wife was as willowy and slim as he was fat, with the lightest golden hair that fell in charming ringlets down her back to her shoulders in the latest style and large amber eyes fringed with blond lashes and a pretty pink mouth that was constantly pouted in a moue. Horatia looks were extremely deceiving, there was mind as sharp and cunning as any criminals under that blonde head and eyes as calculating and cold behind those beguiling lashes. She knew how to get what she wanted and when she wanted it with ease.

What Draconis didn't know was today Marco had come to buy a slave whom he wanted to sell to an incredibly rich sheik. He was planning to close the deal with the sheik in a few days and wanted a nice girl who would complete his harem. Marco was of course being paid handsomely for the girl.

Horatia shook out her brocade Stola and settled back in a chair, curling up like a content seductive cat. Regarding Draconis with lust from her cold amber eyes, her rouged cheeks giving nothing away of her arousal and Marco practically danced forward, his heavy body shaking with delight as he shook Draconis firm, large, calloused hand with his own sweaty pudgy, soft one.

"Bring her in." he commanded his manservant after making small talk with the couple for a few minutes.

The door was opened and in was led Hermione who had her head bowed submissively and her hands and legs bound in chains. She had already run twice so Draconis was not taking the risk. She had been cleaned and dressed well for the showing, her long autumnal colored hair gleamed in red and gold curls tumbling down to her knees and her soft heart shaped face lit up with light rose blush, her wide eyes dominated her face, fringed by dark-dark lashes that fell in crescent shaped shadows on her cheek bones. She turned her golden eyes first on the buyers and then on Draconis pleadingly. She bit her pink lips as if she was restraining herself from crying.

"Well, she's a virgin, well versed in etiquette, has decent manners though she is a tad bit rebellious. You just have to beat it out of her." Draconis declared, his throat feeling strangely clogged at the thought of giving up this slave.

"I will offer you a 1000 gold for her" said Marco, his piggy little eyes roving over her lasciviously.

Behind him he could hear her soft muffled protests through the gag and even while he said it, he felt like the lowest scum in Rome.

"Sold…"

….


	11. Chapter : X

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home **_

"You did what? Are you serious… you sold the girl to Marco?" Blaise looked at his friend with wide eyes.

"Yes, why?" said Draconis taking a sip of his wine carelessly.

"He's under review in the Capitol, for suspicion of illegal slave trading, extortion of foreign agents, illegal transportation of Roman property and a slew of other charges. Rumor has it that he plans to make one big sale in a few days and flee Roma with his wife. He already has a house in Isle Meesa that Caesar does not know about." Said Blaise in a hushed voice.

"You gossip like a woman." Said Draconis disdainfully raising one eyebrow.

"It pays to have eyes and ears all around my friend; one never knows what one might hear." Blaise said, his eyes falling on his beloved wife who was talking just a few feet away to chief guest's wife.

They were at a party in Blaise's mansion held in honor of the Norman Lord who was visiting from Gaul. His lovely redhead wife had been eyeing Draconis for the better part of the evening but he was strangely despondent, another day this woman would have aroused him with ease.

She was just his kind, well bred, redheaded, busty and sultry… yet his thoughts were on the slave he sold the day before. They had to drag her out kicking and screaming. Her shrill cries of helplessness still resonated in his mind and her wide tear filled eyes flashed before him every time he looked at another women.

"So tell me what is it he plans to do with the girl he bought from me?" Draconis asked absently trying to forget his haunting and rather disturbing thoughts.

"Word is that he putting together a harem for the Sheik Suleiman Bin-Rashid who is coming from Constantinople to Roma two days from now." Blaise said lowering his voice further.

"And how much of this is rumor and how much is the truth?" Draconis said skeptically.

"I work in Capitol intelligence Draco; I can only tell you what my sources tell me. Now it's your job to sift through the rumors and find the truth." Blaise shrugged.

"Rubbish!" Draconis scoffed, "You're telling me all of this is speculation. What does Confucious have to say about this, him and Ocipitus are huge supporters of Marco. If these rumors come out, there will be an outright massacre in Capitol and you know it."

"I report only to Caesar but you are right. It is going to Confucious and Ocipitus against Miranda and Lexonifus. And the heavens will rain blood for sure, the policy makers are already on opposing sides and the time for political mayhem is coming. None of us are safe, least of all Caesar and those loyal to him…" said Blaise, "But we cannot discuss this there, we will meet tomorrow in private where no one's eyes and ears can see or hear us. I am afraid Roma is in great danger my friend, grave danger indeed." He said shaking his head.

Draconis caught Blaise arm before he left and asked him in a hushed voice, "Is that why the Norman is here? To rally our alliances and join forces?"

"What do you think Draco? What do you think?" said Blaise cryptically, his warm brown eyes suddenly bleak and withdrawn.

As Blaise left to find his wife Draconis leaned back with his wine and looked over to see all the members of the Capitol in attendance.

Confucious looked nervous, twitching whenever anyone came to close and Ocipitus just looked bored like always, his narrow green eyes followed Miranda around the room with the sort of narrowed intensity of a predator. Clearly something big was happening with the Lords, yet Draconis could not focus on that at the moment.

Blaise had said that Marco was collecting the slaves for a harem for a sheik, the girl he had sold to him would rebel in the harem and be put to death and as it is she had been taken from one home, was it really prudent to sell her so fast. He didn't care about the girl he reassured himself, he was just not ready to be accused of making a bad investment…. It had nothing to do with the fact that he couldn't seem to sleep or eat or be at peace without hearing her heart wrenching screams of agony or seeing her thin face crumpled in pain and her wide eyes begging… begging him to reconsider…

Setting down his wine glass he said goodbye to his host and hostess and set off into the night, his cloak swirling out behind him… his decision made. He would purchase her back, besides he didn't want to be caught in the middle if Marco did get sentenced for his charges. The Flaccus house was close by; Draconis mounted Mikalos and galloped out of the Zabini's mansion.

Marco had his house very close to Capitol, Draconis charged forward, riding as fast as he could. Trying to reach quickly so that he didn't talk himself out of getting her back.

Once at the gates, he asked the guard if anyone one was home. The young man stuttered out a yes and let him in. Leaping off Mikalos lithely he handed the reins to the stable boy and strode up to the door of the main house. Kocking brusquely he was let in by a slave girl and asked to wait in the parlor. Within minutes Horatia came twirling into the room, a bright smile adorning her lips.

"Draco, you came!" she said in her soft voice, clapping her hands together like a child with a treat. "Oh! But you must leave, Marco is here." She said sliding up to him.

Draconis glared down at her, his fierce countenance outlined by his disdain. "I am not here to see you Horatia, I want to see Marco." He said pushing her aside gently but firmly.

Her face fell dramatically and she gave him a pout, "But he's with the new slave, testing out the goods he said." she said smirking.

"What!" he snarled out enraged.

"He's with the new girl, in the west wing..." she said confused, her eyes widening in fear when Draconis began to quiver with rage.

"Where… where is he? So help me god Horatia if you don't tell me…." he snarled ferociously stalking closer to Horatia.

"West wing, third door to the right!" she cried out, holding up her hands to ward him off.

Draconis took off running… his mind going over all the sick scenarios. Running up the stairs he reached the west wing and yanked the door of the room open, thundering inside like an enraged bull.

There on the bed lay the slave girl, she was struggling within her bonds, naked. Her eyes were gushing and she tried to scream through her gag. Her arms and legs were bound to the bed posts with heavy chains and on top of her about to enter her was a naked and smirking Marco… His meaty hands pulling her nipples and his large legs holding her down, his erect penis rubbing against her stomach and his rubbery lips and sharp teeth nipping the soft skin of her neck brutally.

"Stop struggling whore, you might enjoy it." he cooed, as his hands garbed her hips with animal ferocity. Plunging his fingers inside her with brutal, cruel relish, stabbing at her womanhood and listening to her muffled screams of pain and getting harder. "This is what happens when you struggle you bitch!" he snarled out.

Her wide eyes reflected so much pain, pain that Draconis knew he too had put there. Her pathetic whimpers and soft keening cries... each one hit him in a place he didn't think existed any more... his heart. Here was a brilliant woman, a woman who had once stood up to him so bravely... she was broken... she was destroyed... she was a shadow like him. And he felt disgusted, was it cruel of him to feel disgusted of her? He was disgusted she broke so easily, he was disappointed she didn't fight harder. Now she was a shade... like him.

Half a human...

And nothing would make her whole again.

Draconis saw red… without thinking he charged forward and pulled a surprised and shocked Marco off the girl. Her body he saw supported new lashes, far deeper and rawer then the ones he had given her.

"All your money." He rasped out, with barely restrained anger, his large body shaking with wild, savage hate. "Take all your money back you filthy swine. Just give me the girl…"

"Why Draconis.." taunted a sweaty and rather satisfied looking Marco, "One might think you actually have feelings for the girl... I don't want the money. I rather see you suffer." he said with a malicious sneer on his smug face his eyes gleaming with cruelty.

….


	12. Chapter : XI

_**Thank you all for your beautiful and inspiring messages, seriously all of you who sent reviews , all of you sent me Private Messages. I really am touched and honored. I wish I could thank you all by name but I am going to respect your privacy and my reviewers, honestly I cried after I read the stuff you guys had written… I really did. I am glad you guys have so much faith in me, because yesterday at this time I don't think I was going to finish this story. **_

_**Also because I now know whatever I write there will be haters I decided to post another one of my fics that I have been working on, not Dramione but one about an abusive relationship between Tom Riddle Jr. and Dumbledore causing Tom Riddle to become so twisted that he would do anything not to be weak again, that's why he becomes Lord Voldemort. Check it out if you want, again dark themes.**_

_**Okay so anyway, back to the most important thing at hand….**_

* * *

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home**_

Draconis was numb… he was furious… numb…. furious… numb. Each time his fist met Marco's face it made a sick squelching sound but it was like he was deaf.

Once he realized what he had done to this woman he was forced to evaluate what he had done to so many, many slaves before her. Is this really what he was? He took innocent women, uprooting them from their homes. Dragging them away from their young babes if they were good looking and making them into these hollow creatures only meant for servitude, creatures! They were human too, each aspect of Draconis's training and his upbringing had told him… Romans are supreme. Romans hold all power. Romans were the only people who could manage the world, rest of them were savages, only meant to be the stones on which the Romans stepped to achieve greatness. They were the ultimate leaders, a Roman's each word was law for a savage. Romans were good and kind and giving and benevolent and God fearing while all other people were barbarians, going against the laws of nature.

But now Draconis thought that maybe Romans were just merely ignorant. The 'savages' bleed the same way a Roman bleeds and they die the same death a Roman dies.

So were they really that different?

Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. Blood to blood.

We kill and plunder as opposed to trying to understand, he thought. We wipe out their Gods; we kill their culture, so that they fit in _our_ mold so that _we_ can understand them.

We try to kill all that we cannot fathom…

The girl… the girl who he had tortured, he still didn't even know her name, was sobbing. It was her muffled cries that brought Draconis back from his lost thoughts, Marco's face was bloody and he was unconscious, just for good measure Draconis struck him once again and got up.

The key was lying on the small table, he went and unlocked her chains and removed her gag. But instead of running, the girl just curled up into a fetal position and rocked… her wide eyes remained open and Draconis wished she would shut them, so that he didn't have to see the damage inflicted upon her.

"Get up." He said, quietly but firmly, "We need to go." And as he reached to pull her off the bed, she screamed! Her body thrashing around wildly on the bed! She began to mutter in her own language, rocking.

"I said get up..." he said getting impatient. Reaching for her again he ignored her screeching and her flailing arms and picked her up. Hermione had no idea what she was doing; all she knew was that someone was touching her. So she fought... she bit... she kicked. She did whatever she could to protect herself.

Finally Draconis snapped and gave the hysterical girl a slap, Hermione stopped her screaming right away. She didn't want to be hit anymore… she had enough… her exhausted body drooped like a wilting flower in Draconis's arms as she resigned herself to her fate and just looked at the warrior with her large accusing amber eyes, silently filching when he draped a robe over her and fighting down the urge to flee when he picked her up.

Where would she go, she thought bitterly, he had left her fit for nowhere. Turning her face away from his shoulder and holding her abused body ridged and with as much dignity as she could muster she just became still.

He had in a days' time destroyed… annihilated… plundered all of what was sacred to her, she was not fit for marriage, who would want her now? Soiled goods as she was.

She wished she was dead…

Draconis walked out holding the girl in his arms, ignoring Horatia's loud screams of horror when she saw her husband. The girl just looked lost in her thoughts and honestly he didn't want to disturb her, maybe it was her way of dealing with the trauma, maybe it was her way of coping. He took this time to just observe her.

Her once filled out face had thinned almost painfully. She was so small and now she looked breakable, ethereal and aerial like she would fade to mist any second. A long scar ran vertically along the length of her right cheekbone, still red and raw. Something he was sure Marco had given her. Her eyes though, they were the thing that pulled Draconis in every time. It was not right for a girl this young to have so much pain in her eyes. Pain… agony, such anguish and bitterness.

"I will always hate you…" came a strangely bleak voice, none of her torment showed when she looked at him with her steady gaze. "Always… I will never forget, I will always want you dead and I will hate you till the day I die." Draconis could look no longer into her emotionless eyes and just carried her silently to Mikalos and rode back to his house.

"Do you…" he began, as they reached and she dismounted still clutching her sheet to her body.

"I want nothing from you." She said and walked away and never had Draconis seen even a queen walk with such regal dignity and grace.

* * *

Hermione navigated her way to the slave's quarters and entered silently, retreating to her pallet kept at the far end of the room. Lying down, she sought to forget her reality and the constant pain in her womb by sleeping.

The God's truly weep, for it is a sad day in heaven when a human's nightmares are meant as an escape for the reality of their life….

….


	13. Chapter XII

_**A/N : I'M BACK! *Plays Carry on My Wayward Son* Montage! :P**_

_**I'm so sorry I made ya'll wait but now that Raise Me Up is done; this story along with When A God Loves A Commoner gets my full attention. It's going to take me some time to get into the feel of this story, so forgive the short chapter. As always do review and the next chapter will be up tomorrow. Enjoy :D :D **_

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home **_

"Draconis!" whispered Blaise leaning over his friend and urgently shaking his shoulder, "Draconis awake! I have urgent and somewhat disturbing news to share with you my friend!"

Draconis woke with a jerk; a worrier's trait, his hand immediately went to his side for his trusted sword.

"It's just me!" whispered Blaise backing away, "Keep that thing in its scabbard…" he said disgruntled.

Draconis just grunted and got up; throwing on a robe that covered his broad shoulders he turned towards his friend and glared, "I've had a long night Zabini, what is the meaning of this intrusion? How did you get past my guards?"

"Oh I bribed them." He said ever so casual, "Now back to the matter at hand! Something is going down at the Senate, something big!"

"You bribed them…" said Draconis in shock and then grasped his friends arm and said in low voice, "Not here! If my men can be bribed by you they can be bribed by anyone. We need to talk in a place where no one can hear us."

Draconis led Blaise out of his room, giving the guard at the door a cold scowl that made the poor man gulp in fear.

"My study." He indicated, leading Blaise inside. Once the large, thick oak doors were shut and the blinds were drawn, Draconis released the breath he was holding. "No one will hear us here. Do you want something to eat or drink?" he asked his good friend who was just pacing up and down the length of the room.

"Forget that! We're all in danger, yesterday one of my girls Flavia heard this huge argument between Regibus and Nic, she doesn't understand a lot of Latin but she got the gist of it. The Norman lord is not here on Caesar's command, Caesar is planning a coup on all the Frankish lands, the Norman lord is allied with someone in the Senate, someone planning a full-scale massacre of Rome, so that whoever it is will take over Roma and lead it like before. A monarchy… a coup to over throw Caesar!"

"Those are some fairly serious allegations and you said yourself that your spy doesn't understand that much Latin, maybe she is just trying to stir up trouble." Said Draconis, as always levelheaded.

"Well better safe than sorry! If they turn out to be true we'll be slaughtered like pigs for meat." said Blaise furiously.

"Why didn't you take this to Caesar himself?" asked Draconis, regarding Blaise with a shrewd look in his eyes.

"I would! But he is too busy admiring himself and his military prowess, Neptune knows it's been years since he defeated Pompey yet he keeps harping on about that. That man's ego will bring us all down you mark my words!" Blaise angrily muttered.

"ENOUGH!" thundered Draconis, "Faith is a strong thing in Roma Blaise, see to it that you don't speak out of turn and be misunderstood. Lest you be believed to be on the wrong side. These allegations are enough of a reason for a revolt, i trust you have kept them to yourself?"

Blaise nodded, slightly dazed by Draconis's furious declaration. "I'll leave now, I will come back when I have more information." He said bowing out of the room.

"Be sure to do that." Said Draconis, the warning clear in his eyes. "And Blaise be careful, if you do get into trouble, Luna is the first person they will come after and Nic is ruthless; he is worse than me. He won't spare her... make sure that your loyalties are known from the first day, otherwise neither side will trust you."

…..

Hermione quietly scrubbed the dishes; her hands were raw and red but she kept going. Her back no longer hurt, today when she had woken up a jar of salve along with books and writing materials had been laid out next to her pallet, it was a small gesture of kindness but kindness all the same.

She did want to thank the Commander to, as much as she hated him; he had rescued her from Marco and for that she would be eternally grateful. She wondered what had motivated him to come for her after he had sold her.

Guilt….? It couldn't be…

….


	14. Chapter: XIII

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home**_

Hermione looked at the maids in the corner; pointing towards her and whispering. The story of her running away and getting caught and then thrown into the dungeons had reached the slaves ears. No one wanted to be close to her lest they get in more trouble, Hermione sighed unhappily. This was the worst thing, now there was no one to help her to learn the ways of the house, to tell her where she was and was not allowed, what to say and do.

Hermione had decided for now to keep her fight on the back seat of the carriage, the next time she ran she wanted to make sure she got away for good. So obviously she had to plan carefully before making good her escape. For now she had to keep her head down and focus on her work.

"You! Oh, slave girl, yes you the one with the curly hair." Came a whispered voice from behind her. And Hermione turned, a centurion stood in the kitchen, he looked like he didn't want to be seen. He gestured to her to come to him, slinking further and further into the shadows.

Hermione was suspicious; after what happened to her with Marco she was wry of men in general and this solider in particular looked slimy, his small dark eyes darted around nervously, his sallow, pale skin covered his bony face and his abnormally full lips were turned down in a permanent scowl.

Hermione cautiously went and stood near him, her hand clutching the rolling pin she had been using for the dough in almost a death grip.

"Yes?" she whispered back, gathering from his expression that he didn't want to be heard.

"You are the slave girl he just got from Briton yes?" asked the centurion uncomfortably, "The one who ran away and was dragged back and sold?"

"Yes, that was me." Said Hermione, growing more and more suspicious by the moment. "What is it to you solider?"

"Nothing I just thought I could make a deal with you…" he said shiftily, his voice lowering further.

"I have no money for any kind of transactions." She said coldly, her voice making it clear that he could not demand use of her body.

"Not that kind… I just thought because of what the commander did to you that you won't be as… loyal to him as the rest of this staff." His sinister voice whispered haltingly.

"What are you asking me to do?!" Hermione nearly shouted, outraged.

"Keep your voice down for Jupiter's sake!" he said, hurriedly grabbing her hand and pulling her into the corner, "I have a proposition for you."

"What kind of proposition centurion?" Hermione scowled.

"I could get you your freedom and safe passage back to your lands." He said, his small, dark eyes glinting meanly.

"What is the price? Do I have to become your mistress, please you in your bed-chamber." She said savagely, glaring at him.

"Calm yourself curly." He scoffed, "I'm not interested in you, you're good looking and all but just not for me. What I have is more of a business proposition. If you agree then I can offer you freedom or rather my master can, if you don't I'm afraid I'm going to have to kill you. Your decision." He said, sweetly sarcastic.

"So you're blackmailing me!" Hermione whispered outraged. "And my name is Hermione."

"Well I am offering you your freedom!" he said equally outraged.

"It's not like I have a choice, so what is it you want me to do?" Hermione said, resigned. "And listen now; I want a written promise that I will get my freedom. I know better than to trust empty promises."

"Fine! You will get your written, legal contract." Said the centurion throwing up his arms. "We need you to spy on the commander… you're a slave, you will be allowed into his study and his rooms for cleaning. We know you are educated, so you will be able to read his documents. Whatever you see, you will come and inform me about it. You mustn't tell anyone else what you are doing; trust no one other than me in this house. I will take you soon to go and see my master, he will give you whatever you require and he will pay you handsomely. This is the perfect opportunity to get your revenge on Draconis too, you will help in destroying this cruel and heartless man and this empire that keeps conquering other nations and annihilating their culture." He explained.

"How did you know that I was the person for this job?" she asked curiously.

"I have been working as one of the commander's centurions now for close to seven months and I have been observing you since you arrived here. I was the centurion on guard outside the door when you were reading his journal and when you ran away I knew I had found the perfect person to do this job." He told her.

"So you allowed me to escape." She said in a low, angry voice.

He shrugged, "I wanted to see how far you would get, it is obvious to anyone who bothers to look that you are smart and have clearly been educated well and in a vast stream of subjects. What all can you read?"

"I am competent in both Latin and Greek so have no worries on that score, both battle strategies and calculations I can understand and am quite good at, my father always asked for my help to deal with the plans when we were in battle. What exactly am I looking for?" she asked, confused.

"Caesar's plans, any and all strategies and tactics, his personal correspondence. Who has been informed of the oncoming war and the disruption in the Senate, then we will see who we can consider our allies and who we must rule out." He explained.

"And what about your master? Who is he? His name, why he requires this information? Are you going to tell me all that?" she questioned shrewdly.

"No, it is for the best if you don't know, if you are caught then there will be no chance of you revealing our identities. You may call me Raphael for now and later on when you meet the master he will teach you how to pass messages to him. Play your cards right Hermione and soon you will be home again, try and double cross us, you will end up dead. This is a very good deal; a deal most slaves would die for."

"As I imagine they have." She said drolly, "I know what you are offering me is very lucrative, for both your master and me but I want everything in writing and only then we will see where this deal goes Raphael."

"You are a smart girl, I hope you don't get caught." He said, departing after muttering his cryptic words.

Hermione watched the short man slink away and felt a sharp thrill of excitement shoot up her body.

Draconis wouldn't know what had hit him, she thought cruelly. She had a chance to take down the entire empire, wipe out the men who massacred her family and she was going to take full advantage of it. But it was never that simple, this 'master' whoever he was could take advantage of her… she needed some leverage on him to.

That she would have to deal with right away. Whenever this meeting was, she would have to remember his face, the writing materials near her pallet would serve as a drawing board and then she would make some discreet inquiries, making sure that 'Raphael' didn't find out.

Hermione was a smart girl… only how smart they had no idea, battle strategies and espionage was something she was very familiar with. The Higlands of Briton consisted of many tribes trying to overthrow each other and conquer one-another's land; working on something like this was not new to her. Other times she had just been a spectator and sometimes strategist in her father's dealings but now she actually got to be part of the plan and she couldn't be more thrilled.

Oh how she detested Caesar and longed to see that old man bow down to someone more powerful! And if this was a sure way of extracting her vengeance for her father's death and her village's degradation… she would do it gladly, with a wide smile and a loud laugh to match.

Her head buzzing with the plan she returned to her work station, her lips unfurling into a smug, cold smile.

* * *

_**A/N:**_ **Who saw that one coming!? :D You guys seriously though review, I have taken up this story once again and without your support and reviews I just feel totally discouraged and that really doesn't inspire me to write, I mean come on you guys can leave a few encouraging words or something. I'm not asking for a huge big review; just something to let me know that you guys are reading and enjoying or if there is something you don't like. Please review :) **


	15. Chapter : XIV

_**A/N: **_**Hey guys I know you are impatient for the Dramione lovey-dovey bit to begin but I'm afraid you have to wait, as you all know Draco has been pretty cruel here; so he has a lot of making up and kissing ass to do before Hermione even trusts him much less loves him. So be patient, for patients is a virtue that is always well rewarded :D and yes I just stole Cinderella's line. And also this story is not just Dramione, It is also about Hermione and Draco's journey. So please don't expect Draco to be in every chapter. The same with Hermione, some chapters will be individual based. **

**2) Another thing I wanted to say was that I was conversing with another author a few days back and she said something that hit me really hard. She said that a lot of people favorite and follow our stories but they never leave a review; what made me sad though was when she said that even when authors who know the importance of feedback don't review it is sad. So I have made a solemn vow, from now on whoever asks me to read their story or even if I find a story and read it, I may not like it but if I have read it anyway, that I will leave a review : ) just something to make the author improve or to say how much I enjoyed the story. After all no one on here gets paid to write, so this is what I decided. Anyone interested in me having a look at their stories is welcome to send me a P.M I will respond, I do not flame because I think flames are cruel and demeaning and hurtful. There is always a way to critique; you can be kind while giving advice, there is never a need to be vicious. If something is really wrong with the story I P.M the author, I feel there is no need to be insulting on a public place. New authors feel free to approach me; I am always there to help. I know it can be intimidating and since I too only joined FF last year I understand some of your confusion, ask me and I will answer your questions. As new authors I know that FF slang is confusing; so if you have trouble you can visit my profile page where I have given the entire FF sang to help you guys out. Also foreign authors who have trouble; I know how hard the English can be sometimes being an Indian, I myself have faced a lot of criticism. I wouldn't wish that on anyone, so please feel free to talk to me about all this. I would understand being from a foreign country myself. :D **

**Thank you for reading this and now on to the story.**

**Love **

**Urvashi xoxo**

* * *

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home **_

As the hot afternoon sun beat down on the stucco walls of the old villa, Hermione felt beads of sweat drip down her face and back, dampening the thin cloth of her tunic.

The rest of the house; slaves, soldiers even the master were asleep. The Mediterranean countries had this culture of rest during the hottest part of the day which was the afternoon. To Hermione it was new and she was not used to it. So she was wide awake and this was the best time of the day to sneak out.

Raphael had told her to meet him here, in the outer garden. He would come to fetch her and then take her to the 'master'. Hermione was nervous, over the past few days she had seen just how extensive Raphael's skills at spying were. His network of sources ran deep and anonymous; they could be anyone. Hermione didn't know how she was going to make the inquiries about this 'master', leaving herself vulnerable was not an option but getting caught and dying before she got what she wanted wasn't either.

Hermione scanned the tree line before her, sharp amber eyes looking for movement. Before she began to make her inquiries she had to find out who his spies were. There was no way Raphael would tell her; she could clearly see he didn't trust her.

A wise decision, she thought with a scoff because if naming them if she got into trouble was her only leverage she would take it.

"Good afternoon Hermione." Came the same low, sinister voice she had been bracing herself to hear from behind her.

Hermione barely concealed her shock, stopping herself just in time before she screamed. He was good she admitted to herself… impressed.

He had managed to approach her without being heard even though she had been keeping a lookout for him.

"Don't do that." She said tersely, her cold voice giving the man a chill despite the blazing sun.

He looked worse than before she thought critically, paler and his bony hands trembled at his sides, he looked like he was in pain, Hermione had seen this expression before; she had worn it herself for Jupiter's sake! He looked like he had been whipped, hard…

"What happened? Did you do something to displease your master?" she said cautiously, gauging his reaction.

Raphael paled further, his wide eyes tightening with fear, "My master is not a forgiving man, he can often be cruel to those who do not follow his bidding, I'm afraid I displeased him. So I had to pay the price. It was well within his rights to punish me for disobeying him." He said shortly, his tone giving nothing away. "Come now, we must leave and return before everyone wakes up."

"Where are we going? You know if I'm spotted outside this house and its grounds the centurions will contact Draconis with quick haste." She spat, like the very thought disgusted her.

"Have no fear little lioness, the master knew that there would be restrictions on your movement. He is yonder, just behind the trees towards the West. Awaiting you, I will lead you half way before leaving you. Then the rest you must traverse yourself. I will come find you when it is time to return." Said the man, wearily eyeing the forested land. Like the place held uncomfortable memories for him.

Raphael took off; his brisk pace guiding him through the trees. Hermione managed to keep up, her eyes straight ahead as she planned what she was going to do when she met this mystery man.

A shiver of discomfiture raced up her spine as they walked further into the forest, the day was hot and the interiors of the glade cool, for that she was thankful but strange shadows seemed to move around their feet as they walked.

Hermione felt like they were trying to warn her from going in further, firmly and ruthlessly she crushed that thought down. Following Raphael determinedly, she was on a mission and nothing was going to deter her way. Least of all her own silly imagination.

"This is where I have to leave you." Said Raphael; giving her a sympathetic smile which looked odd on his twisted face, "Go straight on from here; when you arrive at the Rowan tree, stop and wait."

"Rowan tree?"

"It will be hard to miss, it has massive arms and a twisted trunk, half of it is burnt off and the rest grows vertically." He explained seriously.

Hermione nodded and took off, not looking back as she walked through the think undergrowth of bushes and lush tropical plants. There was a wide clearing up ahead, the bright sunlight made wide arc of light on the ground, Hermione was sure the Rowan tree was there.

Entering the clearing she looked upon the most twisted, grotesque tree she had ever seen… its branches were twisted into one another, some forming knots while the other just looked like painful twists, as Raphael had said; half the tree's trunk was burnt and scarred, like someone had tried to hack into it with blade. Withered leaves and brown, dead fruit hung limply from its branches, each clinging on like it couldn't let go. It was sinister, like it was giving of an aura of dark magic.

Hermione suppressed a shiver when a sudden cold breeze whipped around the clearing tugging at her clothes, yet not a single leaf of the tree shuddered. And just as it had arrived, the wind died down. And all was silent again… Hermione never knew she could feel this eerie in the daylight but she had been proved wrong.

"Hello Hermione." Came a melodious and tinkering voice from behind her and she turned to look upon the speaker.

The man was as grotesque as the tree in front of her! Hermione barely managed to choke back her scream, her eyes wildly travelled from his bent body to his burnt, melting face. Each feature was melting like wax of a candle, an eye was missing and the skin was old like leather left out in the sun to long, withered, bitter and twisted. Hermione wanted to run but then she looked closer, something wasn't right… the face moved with unnatural rigidity, the clever girl's eyes followed the seam of the face until her suspicions were confirmed and she made the startling discovery that he was wearing a mask! And what a fine mask it was, perfectly molded onto his face. Literally like a second skin, the craftsmanship was incredible, with no detail left unnoticed and no curve or crevice ignored.

It must have fooled many a man but Hermione firmly stood her ground, coldly glaring at the man behind the mask. Her expression making it clear what she thought of this disgusting tactic but she kept her mouth shut, it would be unwise to anger a man like this. The one eye she could see was a cold blue, glittering with intelligence and intent. He was not to be crossed… the thought came instinctively to her. He was a dangerous man.

"I think we have much to talk about." He said in the same gentle voice, but Hermione sensed its evil undertones and gulped faintly…

* * *

_**Remember that tree; its important :D and please review :) **_


	16. Chapter : XV

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home**_

Almost like magic the man's body straightened; dropping the cane he readjusted his bent shoulders and twisted legs. And before her eyes he became into a graceful, lithe man. Thin in the extreme with his pale collarbones jutting out and his body balanced almost with a dancer's grace, yet the gruesome mask was not touched.

"I am… impressed." He said slowly, his musical voice eerie and cold and as he spoke dark clouds seemed to cover the sky, "This mask has made grown men cry for their mothers." Hermione could make out with the subtle change in his voice that he was smirking.

"Come, we will leave here before I show you my face or indeed what I have for you to do." He whispered, turning gracefully and floating out of the clearing.

Hermione reached down and parted her thin tunic's side flap and felt for the dagger she had secured there with a piece of cloth. It was just a kitchen knife but she hoped it was serrated and sharp enough to protect her if she needed it. This man scared her far more than Raphael; it was like each word he spoke was a stiletto of ice cold dread shooting up her spine, dragging a myriad set of goose bumps along with it. Each movement of his was graceful; Hermione wondered if he used that same grace to whip is workers if they defied him.

Following his quick, leaping footsteps she turned to look upon an old log house, it must have been constructed years ago by the amount of decay and disuse it had fallen into.

"Your master is a fool." She heard him scoff, "He should know better than to have structures like this on his land, he should have destroyed it years ago."

Hermione remained silent; she had no opinion on this matter and followed the 'master' until he pushed the door to the damp cabin open.

Hermione followed him inside, all the while running a hand over the sharp tool strapped to her thigh.

Unexpectedly he turned towards her and began to peel the grotesque mask of his face, his blue eyes glinting.

Hermione then encountered one of the most beautiful faces she had ever seen, he was rather effeminate looking. With close capped red curls that wound down the sides of his face like vines, sinuous full lips that pouted out gently, fair skin pulled across high cheekbones and a round dimpled chin but what caught and held her were his eyes, wide blue, like the ocean ever changing. First they were a choppy gray, mixing and swirling like a storm above the sea and they were a bright blue; dark almost navy but they held one emotion alone…. Hate.

Hermione didn't bother to analyze why he had shown her his face, she just drank it in. Eyes roving over each crevice until she was sure she had memorized it.

"Zeus…" he sighed, "Sit… there is much we need to discuss." He said tiredly, his voice has a Greek lit to it, small but distinct.

"I see you don't trust me…" he said, his eyes dropping to where Hermione kept a hand on her knife, "Wise… wise… Raphael picked a clever girl, I'm sure you have numerous questions you wish you ask me?"

"A few…" she said, "But will you answer them truthfully?" she said, her tone becoming shrewd.

He laughed… a pleasant bell like sound that made her heart thump, "Indeed… a smart girl indeed, yes I will answer your questions truthfully but what choice do you have other than to trust me, whether or not I tell you the truth, you won't know the difference."

"Mind games do not amuse me." She said shortly, "I will not refer to you as master, what may I call you?"

"Your insolence should have sent you to the gladiators." He said softly, "My name for you is Dolus."

"The Greek god of deception, subtle…" she said sarcastically. "Now why do you want me to spy on Draconis?"

"Do you know what the Romans did to my motherland Greece?" he said bitterly.

"The imbibed your influence, learnt from you and then pillaged your country, desecrated your temples and pantheons, Aemilius Paulus, the victor of the Battle of Pydna in Greece in 168 BC, is said to have sold 150,000 Greeks to Rome as slaves all by himself." She recited, she had been told this by her teacher a number of times.

"Very good." Said Dolus, impressed…. "I was a ruler when they pillaged my homeland; my wife was alone at court that day, when they burst into the door. I was about to enter when I saw the centurions slice her head of; I hid and then killed a centurion pretending to be a solider. That was the only way I could survive, I made a vow that day that no matter how long it took, I would destroy them. When we returned to Roma, I took up a job in the Senate, quickly rose through the ranks always remembering my promise. And now with their rancid little lives exposed, I can do exactly what I came here to do." He said cruelly, his fair hands with their long fingers twisting the petals of a flower and crushing it.

"You loved your wife very much?" Hermione asked sympathetically.

"More than you can imagine…" he said darkly, "More than life itself, when she died I wanted to die with her but I knew I had to live and take my revenge… kill the men who murdered my wife." He said softly, his sinister voice savage. "Draconis is the best lieutenant that Caesar has, whatever the battle plans are, he will share them with Draconis. I will help you get back at them for killing your father and destroying your homeland."

Getting up he walked over to a small alcove and fetched a thin sheet of papyrus, "This is for you, look it over. I reward loyalty, be faithful to me and you will reap rich rewards, trick me and I will have you killed without a second thought."

Hermione looked at the thin sheet of paper, carefully going over its details. Folding it up she placed it in her pocket, making a note to read it carefully; word to word later in the night.

"I know what you want me to do, so now tell me how I pass the information I know to you?"

"In the afternoons, towards the East banks of the lake I will wait for you. Beyond the foliage there is a weeping willow, its branches form a curtain I will be there. No one knows of that spot, be careful that you're not followed." He explained to her. "I will take you back now, it is almost time… do not forget what happens if you double cross me." His ominous voice echoed of the walls of her brain.

…..

Draconis watched from his window as the slave girl he had rescued walked out from the forest, she looked scared, her eyes darting left and right like she was making sure no one saw her. Draconis watched as she parted her tunic's skirt and felt for a blade; his heart gave a jerk, she was up to something. Something that he was sure was dangerous.

* * *

**Review! Review! Review! Review! **


	17. Chapter : XVI

_**A/N:**_ I have amazing readers, I am shocked that my teeny-tiny story is getting so much attention :D, again just a reminder please do review, I love the feedback and what my readers have to say. So **REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! **

2) On a happier note, I am beginning my original fiction story called _**Reapers Soul Guardians**_, I hope all of you have a chance to see it in bookstores soon :D though I am just 17. The first book is called _**Damned Souls**_. If it does get published it will all be thanks to all my lovely readers from fanfiction who have given me support and encouraged my writing like no other. I truly-truly am indebted to you guys, if all goes well by Spring 2014 the first book will be written : )

One more thing…. What does the fox say!? :D :D (Sorry, I'm kind of obsessed with that song right now! :P)

LOVE YOU GUYS!

Urvashi

xoxo

* * *

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home **_

Draconis was sorely tempted to go down to the slave quarters and demand answers from that girl… what in Jupiter's name was she called! Hermia… Helena… Hestia… Hermione! Hermione! Her name was Hermione; he knew that beating it out of _Hermione_ wouldn't work, so far she had resisted his whipping and being locked up in a dungeon.

And it's not like he could go and accuse her of anything, he had no idea what she had been doing in the forest, for all he knew she could have been taking a walk. He may not have been the kindest of master's but he wasn't a total tyrant.

"My lord?" came a tentative voice from behind him.

Draco looked up from the maps he was gazing at, displeased to be interrupted during his vague musings, at the door of his study stood a young centurion, barely out of his teens. He looked like he was the same age as Draconis when he had started in the military. _When he had been thrown out of his house_ came the bitter thought unexpectedly, Draconis pushed it down. He never voluntarily thought or talked about his past, it was not something he liked to remember, it was best to leave his past exactly where it was…. In the deep, dark corner of his mind dominated by shadows that he had no wish to visit.

Draconis was remarkably good at repressing and burying unpleasant memories, he should have been because he had an unnecessarily large accumulation of them.

Irene… his father killing his mother… getting beaten every day during training… torture when he was a captive in Egypt… nearly dying of thirst when he was tossed into the desert to find his own way back as part of the 'inanition' done by the older officers… each battle he fought… each person's face when he had killed them… fighting the gladiators to keep his life… having a wild lion nearly rip out his back just to please Caesar.

Draconis's hand unconsciously rubbed his shoulder blade where a large scar ran diagonally down to the center of his broad, sculptured back.

With an iron force of will he firmly pushed back the thoughts to his mind's Tartarus; his own personal Pluto seemed to have emerged to taunt him with the ghosts of his past.

"What is it solider?" he demanded shortly, his voice a little rough and craggy, strange… because he had been shocked by the suddenness of those violent images.

"Ummm… Som…Someone is… here… tt.. to see you my lord." Stammered the young man, giving Draconis a terrified look as the blond commander glowered at him.

"Send them in." he said, returning his attention to his maps. The young centurion gave him another scared glance and turned and scuttled away, to do his bidding.

"Scaring children Draconis… tsk…tsk, I'm sad to say that's totally like you." Said a slick voice. "That poor boy nearly wet himself…"

Draconis lifted his head and turned in his chair to see who it was, "Miranda, to what do I owe this unpleasant surprise…" he said coldly, glaring at the woman who leaned against the doorframe.

"I'm hurt Draconis…" she purred, "Here I was thinking you liked me."

"You're so deluded, it's almost sad." He said, an equal amount of faux sweetness dripping from his tone.

"Now… now let's sheath the cruel sword of words shall we, I'm here to talk business." Said the tall woman, floating inside the room and making herself comfortable on a stuffed divan.

Draconis regarded her with narrowed eyes; innocently Miranda flipped her long sable hair back and gave him a half smile, fluttering her long lashed green eyes at him.

"Business indeed…" Draco scoffed, "Don't bother with the innocent act; you're here to spy."

"Now let's not be presumptuous!" she protested without heat, "Honestly Draconis, no wine, no refreshment… is this how you treat guests?" Her voice annoyed.

"You're not a guest; you're an intruder, so tell me what you want and get out." Draconis sighed, leaning back in his chair tiredly.

"Irene wants to meet, but only if you agree to what I have to say now." She negotiated cunningly. Miranda was one of Irene's closest friends, exactly like her... a cunning, manipulative, scheming gold digger with an unending thirst for power and a penchant for destroying everything that came in her path or was a deterrent to her happiness or success.

"Oh really…" he said, his voice droll and disinterested, "How convenient for the both of you, a little reminder Miranda…. I have stopped responding to Irene's every beck and call. Your little ploy is a little outdated I'm afraid, no whore can hold my interest for that long." He sneered.

She masked her shock well, giving him a smirk instead, "Well then…. I'll just tell you what I want and have you think about it."

"I'm not agreeing to any of your foolish revolutionary agendas." He said at once, "You think that your husband is a better ruler than Caesar? And you want to help me secure him now that the Senate is in turmoil, frankly I don't know how he can control an empire if he can't even manage his own wife, you are a trouble maker. Keep in mind that your stupid chase for more power will bring harm upon your family." Draconis said, glowering at her.

"How do you know?" she whispered, her pallor going pale under the powder on her face.

"It pays to have eyes and ears everywhere." He smirked, quoting Blaise's line to her, "Besides it's not like you're very subtle."

"A great civil war is approaching Draconis." She said cryptically, "You should chose the winning side." She said getting up of the divan.

Draconis got up too and held the door open for her, "I think I can decide for myself… thanks." He said to her, slamming the door behind her.


	18. Chapter : XVII

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home**_

It was early…

Hermione could see the faint pink and lavender clouds drift over the pale fat sun that sat in the sky surrounded in wisps of cerulean and fuchsia. The cool air blew through the slave's quarters and the smell of fresh flowers blooming outside made it seem as if everything was almost normal.

Hermione loved flowers, in her own cottage back home she used to grow sweet smelling herbs and flowers whenever the unpredictable weather would allow, hesitantly biting her lip she looked all around her. Everyone was asleep… it wouldn't hurt to go outside for just a bit, besides it had been too long that she had gone without seeing or smelling flowers.

Silently she rose from her rumpled blankets and pulled on her thin summer tunic, bare footed she tip-toed out from between all the other girls and wandered to the kitchen entrance which led out into the gardens.

Slowly Hermione lifted a hand and pushed open the door and stepped out; the cool morning breeze hit her, gently ruffling her wild curls and brushing a fresh hand across her face. Her toes clung to the wet soil as she felt the dew drops of the fresh morning soak into the souls of her bare feet.

For a minute she just stood, feeling each bit of her body relax into nature's embrace, her nose inhaling all the fragrances uncorrupted by the day.

The scent of wet mud and grass; so pungent yet so pleasant, it reminded her of harvest season in her home, when the grounds were being tilled… how the fresh earth smelled when it was turned up, the smell of bread baking… faint and sweet, the scents of night jasmine that only came early in the morning when all the flowers with their saffron centers and their snow white petals had fallen to the ground, they were her tribes worship flowers. Offered as a gift to their goddess Arimid and Aine early in the morning before the flowers lost their scent, Hermione herself used to go and place them on the alters.

A moonflower vine grew close to her, its white flowers open to greet the early morning light and its center releasing its sweet, tarty fragrance. Everywhere Hermione turned a new scent greeted her, sweet woodruff, marjoram, sage, yarrow, autumn clematis, hyacinths, daphnia… Hermione turned in a slow circle as if to take in all the sweet-sweet scents at once.

Each of these flowers had both healing properties and magical ones if the druid was to be believed, slowly Hermione began to walk through the gardens, looking at each flower and mentally cataloguing it.

Lavenders and pansies; the hearts ease and the lovers folly they were called in her village. Together with woodruff and dames rocket they made one of the most powerful love potions, Hermione remembered her sister teasing her about giving the mixture to a boy she had loved in her village… a boy who had been killed in the Roman conquest, Ronald… her sweet, gentle friend with his kind brown eyes and his beautiful smile.

Hermione sighed at the memories and looked back to the groves in the ground, her eyes falling on a tiny chamomile shrub, her father's cure all for anxiety and sleeplessness. When her sister was having her first baby her father had drunk galleons of chamomile tea to calm his nerves, she remembered with a fond smile and they had been blessed with a tiny little angel with eyes like rain and hair like coal… how Hermione missed Rhea and Ruth, she was sure Harry was taking good care of them, he was a good husband and a good warrior. She would never wish that this fate befall them.

Hawthorn hedges grew just ahead, her teacher had always told her that hawthorn hedges were meant for nests, tiny birds and little animals had their homes in them, that's why it was never good to disturb a hawthorn bush, it's white flowers were used in treating heart problems when pounded into a fine mixture and added to irises and heliotropes it was used to dispel dark spirits. The smell was said to calm them enough to send them to the other life, the same way as a dandelion when buried towards the west was said to bring favorable winds.

Hermione wished she could return home, where she could lay in sweet fields of Alyssum and violets and look up at uninterrupted blue skies and wispy white clouds that looked like soft cotton fluff, listen to small brooks babbling and rushing over rocks and fronds of ferns.

Rome was so… so… unnatural to Hermione who was used to running free in the forest, used to trees and greenery and nature and not to tall buildings and pantheons.

Hermione could honestly say that her worship at the crude homemade alters was far more sincere than any of these other people who thought that the gods needed big constructions and massive temples to appease them. She wanted to go home, home to her sister and her niece, home to her village and her plants, home to her teacher and her friends, home to her father…

Chirping birds and the bright pink bougainvillea as beautiful as it was, was all too fake for her. She wished to return to the simple ways of her people, where nature and man worked hand in hand, not where man was constantly trying to dominate the natural forces.

So lost in her wanderings and her thoughts Hermione had been that she hadn't noticed where she had arrived, to the other side of the garden.

When she looked up, her gaze fell upon the arresting figure of Commander Draconis practicing his sword play in just his lower garment. Her eyes traced his body as it moved with the fluid, lithe grace of a panther.

A fresh coat of sweat made his tan shoulder and broad muscled back glisten in the hazy morning sunlight, Hermione watched as his shoulders bunched and flexed displaying a gruesome scar. Its jagged red lines looked like they were renting through his skin; it was like half his back had been ripped open.

Hermione felt pity… this was a man who had obviously faced cruelty in his life, cruelty that had made him bitter. It made her feel sorry for him, made her pity him for being so bitter, made her pity him because he had let darkness consume him.

Pathetic…

She continued to study him like a curious student, watching his sharp thrusts and parries, his techniques were harsh, brutal in their ferocity. His massive biceps and monstrous size itself was his greatest advantage, Hermione shuddered… she wouldn't want to meet him on the battlefield, he would slice her in half without exhausting himself, she was sure.

Running a hand through his messy long hair, Draconis turned to find a curious set of amber eyes on him, the little slave girl he had seen coming out of the forest…. Hermione, stood there, gazing at him her eyes wide and interested, in her arm bunches of flowers that she had collected.

Hermione continued to look at him until finally a pair of sword sharp silver eyes locked into her own.

* * *

**Aine :Celtic (Irish) Goddess of love and fertility, later known as the fairy queen. Goddess related to the moon, crops, and farms or cattle. Aine is revered among Irish herbalists and healers and is said to be responsible for the body's life force. A woman of the Leanan Sidhe (Sweetheart of the Sidhe). Some said she was the daughter of Manannan, some said she was the Morrigan herself. There was a stone, Cathair Aine, belonging to her and if anyone sat on the stone, they would be in danger of losing their wits, sit three times and they would lose them** **forever. Aine was very revengeful, and it was not a safe thing to offend her.**

**Airmid**** : ****A healing Goddess of the celtic order of Tuatha de Danaan, Goddess of medicinal plants and keeper of the spring. Regenerates, or brings the dead to life again.**

_**Anything else that you guys need explained you can ask me :D**_

_**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! **_


	19. Chapter : XVIII

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home**_

Irene sat in front of her mirror, admiring the new style her slave had twisted her blonde hair into; gentle Grecian braids with hair taken from both sides that met at the nape of her neck, soft curls feathered down her face on both sides, highlighting her stunning bone structure; with its high cheekbones and fine crafted, delicate jaw, long, slim nose and wide dark green eyes.

Her slumberous gaze critically studied her milk pale skin, looking for signs of lines or ageing. Irene had no leverage other than her looks, her beauty was the reason she was here today as the lady of the house as opposed to a slave who would be scrubbing pots and pans. Her beauty had rescued her from a life of slavery, it had bought her creams and lotions to soften her skin so that she could lure richer men, it had given her money for beautiful clothes and fine jewels to attract men. It had given her everything she had today… her beauty was the reason she could now fulfill her mission in Rome.

"My lady, you have a visitor waiting for you in the parlor." said her maid, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Who is it?" she demanded.

"A young man, selling trinkets I believe. Will you see him or should I send him away?" asked her maid, clearing up Irene's discarded gowns as she spoke.

Any reason to spend Claudius's money was a good one though she with a smirk, "Tell him that I will see him." She instructed her maid and got up, sweeping out of the room with a swirl of her regal burgundy robes.

The parlor was towards the east wing of the house, it took her fifteen minutes to arrive there and let herself into the massive room.

"Isliam." She greeted, looking over the young man she had been expecting, "How are you brother? Still haven't stopped playing with masks I see."

"Hello Persephone… it has been far too long sister." He said peeling away the faux face and revealing his red curls and navy eyes.

"I'm Irene here Isliam, not Persephone… keep a watch on your tongue it might land us in trouble." She said coldly to her brother. "So did it work? Was she the one?"

"The girl is so blinded by revenge that she lapped up whatever I said, she was perfect." He smirked, "But she also happens to be a very shrewd young woman, she knows the risks… she doesn't trust me."

"Her trust is irrelevant in this matter she is but a pawn, merely there until she outgrows her use." Irene scoffed, "Do you remember brother when we were dragged here from Greece, how we swore that this empire would crumble for what they did to mother and father and Nyx?"

"I remember." He said in a strained whisper, his eyes foggy with memories he had long kept repressed, "Nyx would have hated what we are doing right now, she detested violence." He said softly.

"Well Nyx was not a slave for two years!" shrieked Irene, "I was… and it was I who was pushed around and manhandled and raped. So you can put a stopper on your guilt because it does you no good! Remember brother… remember well what they did to us." She said to him, her tone cold and her beautiful face twisted into a glower so vicious she looked ugly.

"I thought you would have more sympathy for her… the slave girl, Hermione? After all didn't you go through the same thing as her?" her brother demanded, getting up and pacing across the floor.

Irene fiddled with the hem of her gown, its fine silk slipping through her fingers with fluid grace, "I worked to get here… I stemmed my rebellion, crushed my spirit. In my opinion the girl is an idiot, there is a right place and time and she is in neither. If she wants to senselessly rebel she is going to die a painful and fruitless death, if she had waited like we did, bided her time maybe she could have escaped and Marco wouldn't have managed to get his hands on her." She laughed coldly, "This is a perfect role for her… following orders."

"Your arrogance is going to cause us trouble sister." Observed the red-head quietly, "Be careful… one day something unintentional might just slip though."

"I'll never be that sloppy Isliam." Laughed Irene like the very thought of her slipping up was preposterous. "Besides I should be the one warning you… remember what happened last time, you need to stop getting so attached; these people are merely stepping stones for us."

The man looked down in shame as his sister's voice became berating.

"I have the opium poppy with me, all powdered and ready to use. Miranda has visited Draconis, I'm sure he won't refuse a meeting with me… I will dose him then and you and your little slave girl will be able to have a look at his documents." She told her brother.

"Be careful Persephone, Draconis is not someone to be angered…. Have you planned ahead? What will happen when he wakes up? What his reaction will be? What Claudius's reaction will be to having him inside his home? Alone … with you… when he knows that you used to be lovers." Questioned Isliam, pacing back and forth.

"Relax brother… I will manage it, don't you worry your little head." She said in her condescending tone, making the redhead glare at her.

"You're need to stop playing Draconis like a fool because he is not, one day he will take his revenge Persephone and it won't be pretty. Mark my words." He warned.

* * *

_**A/N:**__** Each one of my characters has a fatal flaw and one outstanding talent, the person who can identify all of them correctly gets the next chapter dedicated to them :D **_

_**2) Yes Isliam is Dolus, his real name is Isliam, he was just lying to Hermione to protect his identity. Irene is Persephone, again both of them are Greek so hence the names. **_

_**3) Please do review, remember no one improves without feedback. **_


	20. Chapter: XIX

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home**_

Hermione wanted to turn tail and run but there was something in his eyes that said that if she ran he would follow her, so she stood there and waited, heart pounding in a mixture of anticipation and fear.

Deception was never her strongest suit and she feared that he knew what she was doing. He didn't of-course but that didn't stop her mind from imagining wild scenarios all of which ended with her back in that awful dingy dungeon. The fates were playing a cruel joke on her… all she wanted was a peaceful walk.

Hermione's very vivid imagination conjured up images of lethal looking whips and chains with every step he took. Taunting her…

It was really very hard to repress the urge to run; she wasn't scared of him but when a very tall and incredibly muscular man carrying a sword is walking towards you with a glower that could make you cry for your mother…. Your perspective on fear tends to change…

"My lord…" she said innocently, giving him a small smile, "Isn't it a lovely morning? What are you doing up so early?", mentally hoping he just glares at her and walks away.

But she had no such luck

"Practicing sword play." He said shortly, stopping before her and glaring down.

"Well there's no need to be rude about it! I just asked you a question." She blurted out without thinking and as soon as she realized what she had said she pressed her hand on her mouth. Sometimes … she thought berating herself… sometimes she really needed a muzzle to control her disobedient mouth!

At first Draconis was shocked, then confused that someone would speak to him like that… most people were terrified of him, this slave on the other hand… was one of the most defiant, disobedient, rude women he had ever met!

Looking at the confused expression on the commanders face Hermione had to stop a giggle from erupting out of her lips. He actually looked like a lost little boy for a second, while he tried to process what she had said to him.

"How dare you speak to me like that!?" He finally hissed out.

"I'm sorry my lord, sometime I speak before I think." She said demurely, keeping her face down and covered by her hair so that he couldn't see her gritting her teeth furiously. It physically pained her to say that.

For a second Draconis studied the girl quizzically and then finally said, "It's alright, I did want to know though how are your wounds? The salve I left by your bed… did it work?"

Hermione tired and failed to both hide her shock and keep the incredulity and skepticism out of her voice, with a wide eyed expression that told Draconis she didn't believe him she said, "Why in the world would you do that for me!?"… "My Lord…" she added, correcting herself in time.

"I sold you to him and I was responsible for quite a few of those marks, it was the least I could do." He said with a self-conscience shrug, running a hand through his shoulder length hair, pushing it out of his eyes.

Hermione studied him for a second; he looked younger somehow, lighter… it must have been the absence of the intimidating expression he usually wore. He treated it like armor, putting it on for the world to see but Hermione had caught him in a vulnerable moment.

"Well thank you… for the salve." She said finally, "It really did help."

Draconis nodded, averting his stormy gray eyes from her own intelligent amber ones and looking of into the distance. Hermione noticed his pale cheeks warm a little when she gave him a smile.

Draconis wasn't used to kind words and he couldn't stop the faint blush from dusting his cheeks when the girl gave him a sincere smile and thanked him.

"It's alright." He said gruffly and turned around and stalked back to the straw dummy he was practicing on.

"Again…" she grumbled under her breath, "Wouldn't hurt to say you're welcome, someone needs to teach him manners…"

But all in all he didn't seem so bad any more… it would take her sometime to revise her opinion on him but clearly he was a fair master, Hermione was forced to admit. Running away like that, both when she reached Rome and back in her village…. Those hadn't been her brightest moments.

She was just thankful that he wasn't like most Roman masters; otherwise she would have been lying bloody and broken, raped and probably dead by now, punished for her rebellion. One had to give him credit for restraint, even now… he could have easily hit her for being insolent but he had restrained himself.

If she kept her head down and gained their trust she was sure that she would eventually be given the duty of cleaning his study. Hermione knew that was where he kept the important papers and documents. Men and women from the Senate wandered in and out all day, most looking very worried but she wasn't to do anything until she received her orders from Raphael or Dolus.

But this meeting… it had formed some sort of a truce.

Maybe he wasn't all that bad… she thought, taking one last look at him and turning and walking back into the house.

* * *

A/N: WHY IS NOBODY PLAYING MY GAME :'(

1)Guess the characters flaws and strengths (all of 'em) and you get the chapter dedicated to you.

2)I love writing sassy Hermione! :D She is so much fun to do!

3)All the OC's Belong to me!

4) REVIEW! COME ON PEEPS… The little button down there ! :D


	21. Chapter : XX

**Dedicated to: **

**Lili Bibi , MissMaryLiz, annaea3077, kitkatwriter11, Hermione-The Dark Lady, Orchid Rollo , latina-pr, ****Queen of Faerie****. **

Very good you guys, I'm sort of impressed, some aspects most of you got right… the rest not so much :P but all of you get A+ for the effort :D

But that was a fun game; let's see who can describe the characters better as we move further on into the story. :D

* * *

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home **_

Hermione could feel someone watching her but it wasn't a gaze that made her worry, it was just one of curiosity. The slave girl looking at her blushed guiltily when Hermione looked up and then she turned away.

She was a pretty one, with long midnight black hair that fell all the way down to her knees; hair that looked like shot silk, wide hazel eyes ringed with long lashes under slim, slanted brows with delicate features. Almost doll like in their intricacy, a slim small nose that turned up, instead of down and a small mouth, all there in a nut brown face shaped round like the moon.

Hermione had seen her before, her name was Noor, she was immensely shy and very easily bullied. Walking over to her work station Hermione smiled at her pleasantly and said, "Beannachtaí, my name is Hermione. What's yours?" she greeted her, hoping that the girl would stop looking so scared if she showed her that she too was not from here.

"Selamlar," she greeted Hermione in her own language, "My … name is… Noor." She said hesitantly, "I'm not supposed to be talking to you." She said softly.

"Oh I'm sorry, I'll leave now." Said Hermione, with a crestfallen look on her face. She had really hoped to make a new friend.

"Wait!" Noor said catching her arm, "It's alright I speak Latin, I have been here for over two years now. But… it's… time I … I… I start making my own decisions." She stammered, smiling shyly at Hermione."

…..

"Are you sure you don't mind taking me to your special spot?" Hermione said, concerned as Noor led her into the garden. It was the evening time, all the stars were out and there was an hour where the slaves could rest and do whatever they pleased.

"I'm sure…" said the other girl; she was surprisingly strong for someone that short. Noor led her new friend to a grove of trees, which was where she spent most of her time. "It's the best spot to stargaze; I found it when I came here two years ago."

It was the same place Dolus had asked her to meet him Hermione remembered with a jolt as Noor pulled back the curtain of leaves formed by the weeping willow.

Sitting down, she patted the place next to her, "I really admire you… I would never have the courage to do what you did." She said softly, looking down… ashamed.

"Why do you say that?" Hermione protested, looking at the younger girl.

"I wasn't raised like that, in my culture women are taught to be demure and shy, to speak when spoken to, never to defy. I was always shy myself, self-conscience…" she giggled in embarrassment.

"Self-conscience?! Of what?" Hermione said looking her over with her tone painted in incredulity.

Noor rubbed her left cheek absently, a nervous tick Hermione had learnt over the past few days, "My mother was one of the most beautiful women of our village in Turkey, dark hair like midnight and vivid blue eyes that are incredibly rare in our land. People always expected me to be that beautiful, imagine my mother's disappointment when I turned out normal, if a little chubby." She said, wincing still at the painful memory, "What about you? Tell me what your home was like." She pleaded.

Hermione looked at her new friend and smiled, Noor always avoided talking about anything that would hurt people, and she was a gentle soul… she didn't belong here, "My village…" she sighed, "Was beautiful beyond belief and there were forests …. Everywhere! And a wonderful waterfall that fell into a tiny brook, when the weather would permit me and my sister would go romping around in It." she said smiling at the fond memories, "That was before my sister Rhea got married to Harry, he was from another clan. They hated each other in the beginning… but just for the sake of hating each other, because their marriage was an alliance between the two clans and my sister was rebellious if nothing else. Harry was immensely patient with her."

She giggled, "I was twelve when they got married and whenever Rhea would visit she would enlist my help in playing pranks on him. Me being the immature child, I helped her and enjoyed it. Harry bore it all very patiently." She laughed at the memory,

"There was this one time, me and Rhea mixed a herb into his soap and it made him shed all his hair… I admit that was going a bit too far but anyway finally he managed to convince her that it wasn't too bad being married to him and she admitted she was in love with him and nine months later they were blessed with Ruth; my niece, they have been married for five years now." She smiled fondly as she told the rapt younger girl, "After they had Ruth, Rhea got pregnant again… a girl again; Aine… beautiful as the very dawn she is, she and Ruth together keep Harry on his toes, he adores those girls and is very-very intimidated by them." She giggled,

"My village…." She sighed, "Oh it was beautiful… in a valley surrounded by fields and fields of endless flowers; violets and pansies, hollyhocks and honeysuckle, iris's and petunias and the scent… oh it was enough to drive you to insanity! All day the wind would bring their scent into the village… I loved it! I used to be studying and through my teachers window the scent would float in and I would feel rejuvenated. My friends thought I was a strange one, Ronald was killed in the battle and Gin committed suicide after her intended died." She said sadly.

"But my father… my father was the best…." She said with a pained croak, "He knew I was meant to be more than just a mere farm girl who tilled the fields and planted the crops, so he sent me to my teacher; Augs our druid when I was five, how I loved that old man! He took me for walks around the forest talking to me about nature and natures connection to man, how each tiny animal is important to the whole, big picture, in his home, he taught me how to brew potions, how to identify herbs, how to respect other cultures. He was amazing, but my father, it was my father who sent me to him and how we fought sometimes." She said, fighting back tears, "I used to get so… angry at him! And now I wonder if it was worth it, all those times…"

Hermione felt Noor's hand on her shoulder, comforting her, "I too miss my father." She told Hermione, "He was always my champion… my defender. When I was a little girl he was the one who used to put me to bed and he told me these fantastic stories; about fairy princesses and dragons, giant spiders and magic carpets, genies in lamps and beasts that became human. I adored him… when they arranged my marriage, I was ecstatic." She told Hermione,

"I was always a romantic... still am, begging my father to tell me stories where the prince and princess fell in love and were married, I loved the boy I was to marry from afar. I was much too embarrassed by how I looked next to my beautiful mother so I never could muster the courage to talk to him or even to look at him eye to eye and I was wild with happiness when we were to get married."

A solitary tear made its way down her cheek, "But that ended soon enough, when I went to my in-laws house as a new bride I discovered my husband had a nasty drinking habit and was abusive, he raped me over and over again and they did nothing about it. Finally one day when I decided I had, had enough I told him I was leaving, returning to my parents and then…." She swallowed painfully, more tears running down her cheeks now,

"Then… he took out oil and cast it upon me, I was so much smaller than him so he could hold me down easily. He set me on fire Hermione! He set me one fire! How could he?! And his parents just stood there and watched as I screamed for help over and over and over until one of my screams was so loud and painful that the master heard it, he was in our village for some work that day, thank god, he burst into the house and he saw me on fire and he rescued me…. Took me to his homeland, helped me heal…" she told her, hesitantly lifting up the sleeves of her full tunic and showing Hermione the painful, charred skin on her arms.

"I wanted to die…" she told her, "Who would love me now… I am neither a virgin nor pure nor do I have anything to offer in terms of beauty or wealth. But I promised myself if even one person showed me kindness I would live and not kill myself. Sometimes I wish the master had never saved me, had let me burn there…"

"Oh Noor…." Hermione didn't know what to say… there wasn't anything she could say…

"He is kind Hermione… he really is, give him a chance." Said the pretty girl, wiping away her tears.

Hermione knew who she was talking about and just nodded.

"He looks out for me… whenever he talk to me he is very gentle and nice, gives me these long sleeved tunics so that I don't have to show my marks to anyone I don't want to. Give him a chance…" said the girl. "He likes you… whenever he is in our quarters his eyes instinctively search for you. Give him a chance."

Hermione just looked at her friend silently and finally said, "How do you feel about telling me one of those stories that your father used to tell you?" in the hope of distracting her.

Noor blushed shyly, "Oh… I couldn't do it justice; they are ballads you have to sing them."

"So sing me one and then explain the story." Hermione coaxed the shy girl.

"Alright…"

"_Once there was a woman, so brave and lovely that the heart would break. _

_He killed her husband on the night of the full moon and took him to the land of the dead. _

_And she followed, after him through deserts and forests, through rain and snow._

_And begged and pleaded to him, to return her husband home._

_She cried and pleaded but with no avail. _

_For the dead belong to the underworld and that is where they will remain_." She sang a short ballad in her own tongue, Hermione didn't understand but it was beautiful and haunting, it entranced her so she was unable to look away.

Noor then turned to Hermione.

"It's a very beautiful story of a wife named Savitri and a husband called Satyavan who died young, when death came for him and took him body Savitri followed death, though deserts and mountains, through icy weather and extreme heat; never giving up, never relenting until finally death so impressed by her persistence granted her three boons. For the first she asked that her blind father- in- law's eyesight be returned, for the second she asked that she be blessed with children. As death turned to leave Savitri smiled and told him that he had to return Satyavan because she couldn't have children with anyone other than her husband. She had outwitted death, death returned defeated and the husband and wife returned home." She told her.

Hermione grinned, "That was a lovey story!" glad she had been able to bring Noor out of her melancholy mood.

"I'm glad I made a friend like you…" smiled Noor.

"Me too…" Hermione said, gently squeezing the younger girl's hand.

* * *

_**A/N:**_ **Longer chapter because I had time today. What do you guys think of Noor? Is she nice? I'm thinking of introducing Theodore Nott as her love interest? The story of Savitri and Satyavan is a story my grandmother used to tell me, it's an Indian folk-legend, I hope you don't mind my use of it here. Noor is after all Turkish.**

**REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW**


	22. Chapter : XXI

**Theodore Nott : Teodore Nautius (It took me hours to find a Roman surname with N) **

**Review guys because the more you review the faster I update. Writers get discouraged; leave behind some feedback. :D**

* * *

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home **_

"Teo stop it!" glared Draconis, berating his friend's wandering eyes.

"Huh… what?" he said, like he was coming out of a trance and then grinned at the grim blond commander, "Oh lighten up Draco, I'm sorry I got distracted… you have some fine looking slaves. And if I was not the kind gentleman you know me to be… I might be tempted."

Draconis glared at his friend, "You are a lascivious dog is what you are." He scoffed, giving Teo a cuff on the head which the dark haired man dodged.

Teodore Nautius was one of Draconis's close friends… his family. One of his only close friends along with Blaise, all three of them had been together since their military days and even though they had gone into different streams they remained firm friends.

Teo was another one of Caesar's commanders, they were here to discuss battle strategy but Teo other than being an exceptionally good fighter and a dead shot was the most distracted soul Draconis had ever met, he was in constant motion… couldn't sit still for long, couldn't stay in one place for long. The term wanderer was designed specifically for Teo it seemed.

"Ladies," Teo winked at the serving girls with a naughty smile on his angular face, gently skimming his fingers over their hands when the put the wine down.

The girls just giggled and walked out of the room.

Draconis glared at him, "Can you not flirt with my slaves?!" he said annoyed, "It's not like you have a lack of women outside… unless you've already exhausted it by bedding all of them."

"Well not all of them…." Teo said with a mischievous smile, his dark green eye glittering wickedly, "But it's so much more fun to rile you up."

"Be serious!" Draconis scowled at Teo.

The black hair man just grinned at his old friend, for him Draconis was all bark and no bite. Teo would have been considered the same with his intimidating height and lean muscles, honed to perfection with constant battle practice, along with his green eyes and his full sensual lips, high cheekbones and a light stubble he along with Draconis one of the most handsome bachelors in Rome.

The only thing that marred the beauty of his face but gave him character was a vertical scar that ran down his face, into his eyebrow and further up into his hairline, he had received at while in training… an older officer wanting to teach him a lesson had slipped up with the sword and blinded him in one eye, now he wore an eye patch to cover the injured eye from further damage.

Outside the door and in the kitchen, Hermione and Noor stood while Hermione glared at cook… "What do you mean we have to serve the next course?!" Hermione said furiously, hands on her hips, "Just because we were in the garden? Can't we just work in the kitchen?" she whined.

"No!" said the cook, a robust woman of about fifty who ran the household kitchen with an iron fist, "Now go do as you're told, put on the apron and take this up to the master, you too Noor." She said, gentling her tone when she reached the younger girl.

Both the girls were carted off into the changing room and put into protective wear so that while serving if food fell on them it wouldn't mark their tunics.

"Who are we serving anyway?" Hermione grumbled to the older girl who was tying the string tightly on her back.

"The master has this friend… Teo, handsome as the very devil he is." Giggled the other slave girl; Iris. "He'll flirt with you if you serve him and then the master will berate him, it's quite entertaining to watch!" she laughed.

"Come now girls." Said the cook, sticking her head into the changing room, "Hermione you will serve the master and Noor you will serve our guest. Understand?"

The girls nodded and accepted the platters of cheese and meat and began to walk up to the study, "What if he flirts with me?" whispered Noor giving Hermione a terrified look.

"So what!?" Hermione whispered back to her friend, "Why are we whispering anyway?"

"I have no idea…" said Noor in her normal voice which now sounded too loud and caused the girls to go into fits of giggles.

"Whenever you're ready?" said a droll voice from the doorway and both of them stopped abruptly, looking up to see Draconis standing at the doorway of the study. Though his voice was cold his eyes twinkled mischievously.

"We're sorry master." Noor blushed, while Hermione just stood stoically beside her, not looking at Draconis.

His eyes gentled when he saw Noor, he was very fond of the young girl, "How are you Noor? Are the burns still giving you trouble in the winters? Did the salve I gave you work?" he asked her.

"It worked like a charm!" she said enthusiastically, "Again master… I can't thank you enough for that!" she smiled.

In Hermione's eyes Draconis's worth rose just a little, anyone willing to help Noor had her approval, those nasty burns didn't just end at her arms, they travelled all the way to her back… charred, deformed skin that made Hermione furious! If only she could have met her husband… she would have cut his head off!

Draconis gently patted the younger girls head and let them into the room, his eyes following Hermione as she walked in. Hermione kept her eyes averted from his sharp gaze and waited for him to sit, so that she could serve him.

Teo had been warned before Noor even entered the room not to flirt with her and now he was curious, what was so special about this slave girl, Draconis wasn't bedding her that was for sure; but he was protective of her. Teo noticed how when she set down the food in front of him, her full sleeves would ride back and a hint of burnt skin would show. While she served him he coaxed her to talk to him, smiling at her while gently trying to get her to open up.

Noor was much too shy to talk to him; much less look at him… the more he pushed the more she retreated into her shell.

"I told him not to flirt with her." Draconis growled; gritting his teeth.

"My lord?" Hermione said confused, while she held out the platter for him to choose.

"I told him not to flirt with her… she has a gentle and very fragile heart, she keeps it locked away but it can break with a mere twist of the wrist." Draconis said glaring at Teo.

"Maybe he's just making conversation." Hermione said dryly.

"You cannot believe that." Draconis said laughing at her naivety.

"Well if you insist on seeing the worst in people all the time then you won't have many friends left." She said sagely.

"What better advise to take than your own…" he said, finally turning his unnerving silver gaze onto her.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Hermione said innocently.

Draconis scoffed and reached out to take a slice of bread when their hands connected; a zing of energy passed up Hermione's spine and caused tingles to break out all over her skin. Shocked she pulled back, almost dropping the food in her surprise. Draconis smirked to hide his reaction, reaching out; he put his hand over hers.

"What the matter _Hermione_." he said tauntingly.

"Nothing!" she cried out, pulling away, "Nothing at all!"

* * *

**Review! **


	23. Chapter : XXII

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home**_

"I told you not flirt with her you jackass." Hissed Draconis across the table glaring at Teo, when the girls had gone to fetch another course.

"I was just being nice!" defended Teo, "Besides why are you so protective of her? Is she one of your father's bastards?"

Teo was the only other person who could have made a statement like that and Draconis wouldn't have tackled him to the floor and strangled him.

Draconis gritted his teeth and scowled, "No, she is not. I found her in Tazck, you were there with me."

"The girl you carried around for almost a week, the one who was always wrapped in a white sheet." Teo exclaimed, snapping his fingers, "I remember now!"

Draconis nodded grimly, "She was burned by her husband. He cast oil upon her and set her on flames, she's not your usual type Teo. And the burns are not trivial little wounds you can overlook, when I first rescued her she was on the verge of death. The burns and the burn scars are all over her arms, her back and around the collar bone and neck area. It's been two years and I thought she would recover, thrive here… in the relative freedom she has but all that has happened is that she has retreated into her shell and become painfully shy. Don't flirt with her." He warned

Teo's eye glinted dangerously and his mouth turned down into a flat line, "How could someone do that?" he said in a voice of such hushed hatred that even Draconis shuddered coldly. "I may not know her…. But throwing oil on your wife and setting her on fire. What kind of SICK, DERANGED ANIMAL does that to another human being!?" he said, snarling out the words furiously.

Draco knew that this kind of permanent injury was a sore spot for Teo, having lost the sight in one eye because of the carelessness of another person.

Behind him Draconis heard the sound of glass smashing and turned.

Noor was giving Teo a terrified look, clearly scared by the fury displayed on his face. Before Draconis or Hermione could stop her she spun around and fled. The plate of meat was now lying on the floor; the food spewed everywhere, dirtying the room.

Hermione shot a glare in Teo and Draconis's direction and without permission took off after the distraught girl.

Draconis wanted to follow but instead he glared at his friend.

Teo scowled back, "What!? I didn't know she was going to come in at that moment!"

"I should go after her!" Draconis said, bending down and beginning to clear the pieces of glass away.

"I'll come to… I should apologize." Said Teo with a guilty look on his face.

"NO! Just leave it… please." Draconis sighed…

* * *

**Sorry for the short chapter guys, I had no time today. Review! **


	24. Chapter : XXIII

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home **_

Draconis spotted Hermione in the garden looking frantically everywhere and jogged to her, "You can go back inside, stay with Teo. I'll find her." He said upon reach her.

"But…But… She's my friend!" Hermione spluttered indignantly.

"Don't argue for once in your life!" Draconis yelled angrily, "I know her… I have an idea of where she's gone, now go back inside and I'll come fetch Teo later, he needs to apologize."

Hermione nodded, shocked at his outburst and turned and headed inside not before shooting a glare in his general direction.

Draconis took off towards the west end of the gardens, towards Noor's 'spot', parting the weeping willow leaves he walked into the glade.

"Can I sit?" he asked the silent figure leaning against the rocks.

Noor just nodded mutely, before opening her mouth and muttering an apology "I'm sorry master; I never meant to do that. It's just…" she stopped before frowning at the ground.

"I understand…" he said, laying his hand on her shoulder, "But you can't continue like this, you can't be scared for the rest of your life Noor, someday you know that your parents are going to find out you're alive." Draconis said.

"It'll bring shame on my family if they do… you know that! I told you that was the reason I was coming with you to Rome." She sighed, "Our culture works very differently than yours and I would be coming back a fallen woman."

"I know what it's like to be considered a dirty little secret in your family." Draconis said, his voice becoming immeasurably cold. "Do you think you'll talk to him?"

"Who? Your friend?"

"Yes, he wants to apologize; for scaring you." Draconis asked her.

Noor fiddled with blades of grass around her feet and then sighed, "I guess I could, will you stay?"

"No I think you should talk to him alone." Draconis got up and walked back out of the glade, turning back and looking one last time at the solitary figure sitting stiffly now, that girl had too much sadness inside her.

Like you're one to talk, sneered a little voice inside his head.

Hermione rounded the corner and caught sight of the dark haired man about to leave the study.

"Sir!" she called out, rushing after him, "Sir! The commander asked me to give you company, while he talked to Noor, he said he'd come fetch us later."

"I need to apologize to her." He explained, "I never meant to scare her!" he said with genuine regret in his eyes.

Hermione's own hard gaze gentled and she reached out and took his hand in her own, "I'm sure you didn't mean too and I'm sure she didn't mean to run either, maybe she was just surprised."

"Teo!" Draconis came, for a second Hermione thought he was glaring at her hand which was laid on Teo's but quickly she put that thought out of her mind. "Go to her, you know the place; the glade near the small lagoon."

"Thank you Draconis." Said Teo, removing his hand from between Hermione's and heading towards the garden.

"We should wait for them, in the garden. You can talk to your friend after Teo is done apologizing." Draconis said to Hermione, his voice emotionless.

Hermione just nodded and walked towards him, together they walked into the garden and to the sheltered gazebo to wait.

"I'm sorry." He said suddenly.

"For what?" Hermione asked curiously

"For what I did… you know the way I told you about your father." Draconis said, his hands toying with the dagger at his belt and his eyes looking of into the distance.

Hermione inhaled sharply and said in a biting tone, "Don't talk about my father!"

"I really am sorry you know, but I was just following orders." He said defensively.

"Orders!" Hermione scoffed, "Orders and obedience. Control… control… control! That is all Rome and this empire is about, why can't you just leave people alone! Let us live our lives peacefully! Everywhere conquering and trying to crush rebellion, which lands people, will want to be ruled by strangers, outsiders! IMPOSTERS! And then you people wonder why there is so much rebellion?" Hermione said sarcastically.

"Do you know how much better life would be if your leaders just peacefully accepted the Roman conquest! You could stop living like savages! Have proper schools, roads, trading guilds, aqueducts!" Draconis retaliated, glaring at Hermione

"But at what price!" Hermione said hotly, "At the price of losing our culture, destroying our traditions, forgetting our heritage! We savages have our own customs and laws, our own way of governing our land; we don't need outsiders to rule over us like we're cattle!"

In the middle of the garden they both stood glaring at each, "It seems we have reached an impasse." Draconis hissed, "You will continue to fight your fate and I will not bend."

"An impasse indeed." Hermione as, keeping her voice indifferent, "We both have very different ideas as to what constitutes civilization and manners. Like you think I'm a stubborn, opinionated woman who should just bow down to your superior masculinity and I think though you come from this so called 'civilized' land you are a barbaric, brute with no respect for women or other cultures!"

Draconis growled angrily as she flounced off, giving him a huff and an insolent glare.

Before he could even understand his motives, Draconis had placed on rough palm on her tiny hand and pulled her close, "A barbaric brute you say…" he snarled, unable to stop even though he could see the terrified glint in her eyes. "I'll show you exactly how barbaric a brute I can be."

And before Hermione could see what he was going to do he had already placed his firm lips on her own, so she did the only thing she could… she fought back; but her small fists were nothing, even though she pounded relentlessly on his massive chest it barely hurt Draconis.

Hermione knew that fighting was clearly not going to get her anywhere so she went stiff; maybe he would stop if he saw she wasn't responding. But Draconis's lips weren't anything like Marco's, Hermione soon very disconcertingly discovered. His lips were firm and gentle and not slimy, he kissed with the sort of expertise that only came with experience. Gently he pried her mouth open and Hermione shut her eyes as she surrendered to the drugging sensation of having his lips on hers, her knees felt weak, it was as if he instinctively knew and wound his brawny arm around her waist, Hermione's own small hands unconsciously went to his broad shoulders, not pushing him off but instead holding him to her. What had started out as a battle of domination was now more of a pleasurable interlude.

Gasping finally when he let her up for air, Hermione glared at him…"Why would you do that!" she shrieked.

Draconis looked puzzled, clearly she had liked at just as much as he had.

"Kiss me like that! Make me all tingly! Why would you do that!?" she accused, "UGH! Don't even answer, I'm going now!" she said stomping her way over to the gazebo to wait for her friend.

Women… sighed Draconis; he could never get it right with them!

* * *

A/N: **Next chapter more of Draconis's shady past! A longer chapter that'll be :D**

**Oh and I better see a lot of reviews! :D **

**Love Urvashi **


	25. Chapter : XXIV

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home**_

Draconis walked to the gazebo and looked down guiltily and finally muttered, "I'm sorry…"

"For what!? Assaulting me! Scarring me for life!" Hermione shrieked.

"What! I did not assault you! You liked it just as much as I, another few seconds and I'd have had you begging!" Draconis huffed, male pride clearly injured. "You know Hermione you can't always act like the injured party, when you run away or when you defy me; even I get punished for your insubordination."

"Why would you get punished?" Hermione scoffed.

"Because you're my slave! My responsibility! And if I can't deal with you, they'll give you to someone else and right now I have half a mind to let them!" Draconis said furiously

"Oh…" Hermione said, pressing her fingers against her lips, "Oh… I was unaware…"

"Yes, well you know now…" he said softly and the couple lapsed into silence, where Hermione took the time study him. He had a face that showed how hard military life had been, not the scars alone but something in his eyes, the almost unnatural alertness. She had never seen him completely relax, he was like a caged animal, always looking for something or someone to releases his pent up aggression on.

She hesitated before breaking the silence, "That day in the morning when I saw you training…" she began, watching him stiffen, "The scar on your back… how old is it?"

Draconis turned towards her with unreadable silver eyes, "I got it while defending my mother, while my father was in one of his drunken rages. He picked up one of those ornamental swords that hung on his house walls and slashed around like the raving insane creature he is and he nearly sliced my back in half."

Hermione wished she had never asked … "You loved your mother very much then." She said lamely

"I adored her…" he said in a cold voice, "She was a sick woman; being married to my father for so many years had taken their toll on her body, she was a gentle woman from a small merchant family that's why my father thought he could bully her, I didn't even realize he was beating her till I was fifteen, she would always make excuses, saying she was clumsy. But one day in the night I was going to get some water and I heard her scream, I have never heard her scream before because my parents rooms were in the opposite side of the house, completely cut off from my own wing, so I went and stood outside the door and saw what he was doing to her. I was just fifteen! I was so scared but when my father found out that I knew what he was doing to mother, he stopped bothering to hide it, he would beat her in front of me … I was stronger than him, most of the time I managed to subdue him until he was sober… when he was sober he was exactly the man my mother had fallen in love with, he would apologize and kiss her; tell her that he would never drink again and my mother believed him because she was so in love with him, so desperate to cling to even a shred of his old self. Eventually he damaged some part of her brain while he was beating her one night… the night I wasn't there. He drove her to insanity and when I was seventeen he had, had enough of her. So he picked up the sword and sliced through my back… while I lay bleeding he cut of her head in one swoop. I saw it all…" he said looking of into the distance, his tone cold.

Hermione suppressed a shiver, trying to imagine what it must have been like for a seventeen year old boy to witness murder in cold blood… the murder of his own mother at the hands of his father, "My back was bandaged…" he continued, in the same monotone, "And then a few of my possession were packed and I was thrown out of the house and left to die, Blaise found me … he and Teo were living in an underground shelter for criminals, they nursed me back to health the best they could, but the filthy living conditions and the fever all resulted in my wounds festering, becoming putrid. So they stole… medicine and bandages whatever they could get their hands on because my father refused to acknowledge me after I was thrown out of the house; another friend of ours Alexander helped until he was killed by the centurions in a raid, after that we joined the army."

"I…I…I…I'm sorry, I had no idea." Hermione said, struggling for words, there were none to describe the brutality he had experienced. So she just laid a hand on his arm.

Draconis had achieved at least part of what he had hoped, by telling her his story he made her see that she wasn't the only one who had suffered in life and this constant defiance was useless.

…

"Hello…" said Teo, looking at the stiff figure of the girl shrouded in darkness.

"My lord." Greeted Noor with as much warmth as she could muster.

Teo scoffed good naturedly, "You can call me Teo, especially after the fright I gave you today."

Noor grinned shyly and moved a bit so that he could sit down near her.

"I am sorry, but injuries like these…. permanent ones are sort of a sore spot for me." He said ruefully pointing towards his eye.

"What happened to you?" Noor blurted out.

"When me and Draconis and Blaise were eighteen summers past we decided to join the army, well there was this training officer called Vitus, he was a brute of a man, a foul, loathsome creature with no mercy, a penchant for destruction and a hearty appetite for violence no matter where it come from. He used to make us recruits fight each other each night for his amusement, one day when I said no to fighting Draconis because his scar was still healing, he got so furious that someone was defying him that he came at me with a sword, the last thing I remember is feeling this searing pain in my eye and waking up and not being able to see out of it. Blaise killed him before he could do more damage, it wasn't hard … he was a heavy drinker and rather slow." Teo said with a shrug of his broad shoulders, "So what happened to you?" he asked her.

Noor gave him a withering look, "I'd rather not talk about it."

"You should… if you do eventually it gets better." Teo explained laying a hand on her shoulder.

Noor just shook her head.

"Alright maybe not now… but someday soon you're going to tell me." He said, getting up and dusting the dirt of his clothes and offering her a hand, "Come now, let's go search for Draconis and the other girl; your friend… otherwise I'm afraid they'll be at each other's throats." Teo said with a smirk.

"You noticed that too." Noor giggled, "They do seem to hate each other rather unnecessarily."

"The mysterious laws of attraction." Laughed Teo.

* * *

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! **


	26. Chapter : XXV

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home**_

It was hard for Hermione to admit that she may have been wrong about Draconis, she hadn't totally forgiven him but his story had shown her a side of him that she was sure was rare to witness, she needed to talk to someone. She had to admit she was being brash, all her revenge schemes were hurried and unplanned… out of control.

Hermione had taken a step back and put it all into perspective, she still wanted her father avenged, she still wanted Rome to burn but now other questions rose up into her mind, questions like;

How many innocent people will suffer in this rebellion?

How many will die, how many will be left homeless?

How many children will become orphans, how many will be left either motherless or fatherless?

How many women will lose their husbands and lovers?

How many mothers and father will send their children out and never see them again?

Could she prevent unnecessary damage?

What if the rebellion is crushed? Who will be left to face the wrath of the Empire?

Could she protect herself or Noor?

Was she really that essential or just a mere pawn in a much larger game?

Questions that buzzed around in her head like flies on a sweet dish, she was just not able to get rid of them. Each brought a new bout of fear and anxiousness, each created a new question… but that was all she had… questions, but no answers.

Where was she to go to demand answers, she had nothing… no leverage, no right to demand answers.

She shifted uncomfortably on her pallet, suddenly the night was too hot and humid; beads of sweat ran down her spine and the humming of insects grated on her already taut nerves, around her the sounds of everyone else's peaceful slumber made her furious; they had nothing to worry about! They had accepted their fate and laid down their arms!

Beside her Noor shifted in her sleep, a faint smile on her lips; Hermione regarded her friend through narrowed eyes, she so badly wanted to tell her what was going on but could she bear to burden Noor… sweet, gentle Noor who always saw the good in people, she had no idea what was going on. No one in this godforsaken house knew what was going on except her and Raphael!

Noor heard Hermione shuffle on the thin mattress again, something was bothering her friend… through sleep hazed eyes she studied Hermione's fiercely worried expression.

"What the matter?" whispered the Asian girl, "Are you not feeling well?"

"No I'm fine…" Hermione whispered back, fiddling with the hem of her thin nightgown, "Go back to sleep or you'll wake everyone up."

"I'm awake now Hermione, what the matter? You look worried." Noor persisted, shuffling closer to the older girl so that no one could hear their whispered conversation.

Hermione finally sighed, "Can you keep a secret?" she said in a hushed, anxious tone.

"It depends on the secret, is it something very big?"

"It is." Hermione confirmed.

"Then we mustn't talk about it here." Noor said, silently rising from her bed and not bothering with the long sleeved tunic, it was after midnight… no one was likely to see her burns.

Hermione rose too and followed her friend out of the dark room and into the hallway which was thankfully illuminated by moonlight. Noor led Hermione down a winding path, both girls clutching each other because of the creepy shadows that danced around the dark house.

Finally they reached a door that Noor pushed open, "We're safe here it's a supply closet. No one will be listening to us here."

Hermione quickly blurted out her story, Noor was calm, gasping at certain details and mostly keeping her mouth shut lest they be heard.

"Hermione that is so dangerous! How could you go into the forest alone with a man you barely knew!?" Noor said in a condemning tone, "You could have been killed!"

"I know! I know! But I was hurting, I had just been taken from Marcus." She choked out, "And he was offering such a tempting deal that I couldn't resist, my brain was clouded with thoughts of revenge! It was all I could think about! And then there they were, offering me exactly what I wanted on a silver platter!" she explained.

"In my experience if it's too good to be true, it probably is." Noor said running a hand though her long hair and looking at her friend in agitation. "So what?! If you had said no they would have killed you?"

"That's pretty much how he said it!" Hermione said faintly, sinking to the ground, "I still want to do it, don't get me wrong but the repercussion of battle weren't hitting me then! Now that I have gained some perspective all I can think about is how bloody rebellion is. Barely a hundred people from my own village survived when Draconis came to our land, I shudder to think what the death toll will be for a city the size of Rome. I want the Senate to burn but I don't want innocent people to get hurt!" Hermione said.

"I'll help you…" Noor said suddenly, her voice was painted in conviction and her face had a stubborn expression on it, "You can't do it alone, you'll probably die. So I'll help you, it'll be easier and maybe it won't be as bloody. Let's not forget though it is rebellion, innocent lives are bound to be lost, there is nothing you can do about that."

"Noor no!" Hermione said in a horrified voice, "I can't involve you in this! It's my mess and it's my fight! If I go down at least I will have fulfilled what I vowed to do! You're not even interested in all this; I can't drag you into it!"

"Well you're the only real friend I've had since I came here! So I'm not letting you die! I'm helping you whether you like it or not!" she said angrily, "Don't be a martyr Hermione because martyr's die! And I am not letting you die!"

"Noor you love Draconis, he has been your protector long before I came here, why would you betray him!?" Hermione asked questioningly.

"Because I don't want him slaughtered, at least with your help I will know when and where the rebel attacks are, I can protect him… like he protected me all those years ago!" Noor said her hazel eyes fiery with conviction.

"This is a bad idea…" Hermione said sadly.

"Well that didn't stop you did it!" Noor said, raising her eyebrow.

….

Outside the door a faint movement in the shadows revealed a man with his ear pressed against the door and his eyes wide and disbelieving. There were so many secrets that these halls guarded, secrets meant for destruction…

And he knew how to deal with secrets… it was his job; he was after all just a mere shadow…

And with one last look at the door concealing the two silly girls who thought they had any grasp on the game, the true player turned and walked away… slowly melting into the shadowy secrets he carried with him.

* * *

**People Noor belongs to me, she is a character of my own creation.**

**Please do review, it gets really discouraging if you guys don't… **


	27. Chapter : XXVI

A/n: Hey lovelies! :D Missed me? I missed ya'll :D Sorry for making you wait, but I have a real life too… school unfortunately and the gym… (I f***in' hate the bloody gym, I just wanna eat as many double stuff oreos/ nutella as I possibly can and not get fat! Is that really too much to ask?!)

**Oh and one thing, Noor is not going to change!** **One reviewer says they want me to change the way I write Noor, that she is shy and introvert some times and brave the others; guys she is only brave in a tough situation, let's not forget she was getting pulled in two directions when Hermione told her what was going on. a) Hermione is her friend but b) Draco was her protector and has been with her for longer. She chose the path that would help them both. Her being insecure about her looks and her scars is irrelevant to this situation, like any good friend she stepped up. **

Anyway Hunger Games fans, I would love it if you would read and review my new one-shot To Trade in Secrets… I'll love you forever! No pressure though :D, anyway enjoy…

* * *

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home**_

Irene brushed her long blonde hair with an oak, mother-of-pearl backed brush, these chambers were her own, and she was free to do in them as she pleased. Once her long hair was brushed out for the night and her maids had retired to their own chambers, Irene got up and swept over to the center of the room. An old, scarred table with a large sun in the center made of light wood sat, two hidden compartments opened out of the bottom and Irene pulled out a sheet of Papyrus with black markings and tiny porcelain figurines in different colors.

The papyrus was a map of Rome, carefully stolen from one of her patron's who was a history researcher. The hidden entrances and inward tunnels, leading to the Capitol Hill on which the Senate was built, to the Commander hall where Draconis and his little friends would be discussing war strategy when they attacked, the hidden pathways outlined some of the fastest and easiest ways for armies to travel within the city limits of Rome and not get caught.

She ran a loving hand over the map, it was one of her most precious possessions. The tiny figurines were quickly divided into the rebels and Roman legionaries, this obsessive habit had overtaken her and so consumed by revenge was she that she had to reconstruct each battle scenario in her head at least a hundred times. Poking and prodding them Irene watched with rapt fascination as soldiers fell in the imaginary battle, it was like she was paying a game of chess and only she knew the final outcome of each players destiny… whether they would live or die, or if they were captured by the Roman centurions what would happen.

Another compartment revealed a bag of crushed herbs rounded into small pills, a mixture of Hemlock, Castor and Belladonna made into one tiny lethal dose of poison. They had enough to give to all their soldiers, it was a special mixture that Irene had made herself, Isliam's wife Nxy had taught her how.

_Aconitum_ better known as wolfsbane or monkshood was part of the base; in humans, accidental ingestion could be fatal; the plants contained aconitine neurotoxins and cardiotoxins, which lead togastrointestinal complications, motor weakness, and heart and lung paralysis.

_Conium __or Hemlock_ Ingestion of even small amounts caused death by disrupting the body's neuromuscular junctions, resulting in what is known as "ascending muscular paralysis." The paralysis typically began in a person's legs, and ascends up the body until it reaches the respiratory muscles, resulting in instant death. This was want the soldiers required if they were captured.

_Belladonna _berries were fatal and so were the bright red _Castor_ fruit. The mixture was such that death would not take more than a few seconds.

She returned the bag to her hidden compartment, carefully avoiding touching the herb mixtures.

Everything was in place, the stage was set and Caesar wouldn't even know what would hit him smirked Irene.

Her years and years of suffering would finally mean something, she had waited and been patient for ever so long. Been patient when her brother cried and moaned about his dead wife, putting her up on a pedestal, making Irene feel guilty for wanting her revenge. Isliam needed reminders now and then how his and Nyx's marriage became perfect only after her death. Two years of letting Claudius touch her body with cold, clammy hands, years of selling her body to the highest bidder, letting a stranger touch her most intimate and secret places, pretending to enjoy it, pretending not to cringe in pain as they thrust in and out of her, each faux smile, each fake laugh and giggle, every filthy memory of every man who had very violated her had led up to these few days, the days when she could finally avenge the destruction of her motherland.

Persephone could almost feel Greece's warm sunshine bathing her skin and smell the wheat growing in in her father's fields, the pungent, pleasant scent of ripe figs and the swaying cypress trees. The village children with their grimy hands and small faces, pleading her to pick fruit for them. Their warm sticky hands clutching at her face and their sweet, soft lips kissing her clumsily when she complied.

How she hated the Romans! How she hated them…

Each memory of her's after the war and before her capture was of death … so much death everywhere, she had watched as her father's villages went up in flames and the Roman legionnaires swept through each place leaving a trail of destruction in their wake, she remembered each charred body, each decapitated head, each thin starving skeleton like frame.

Most of all she remembered the children's dark, soulless eyes staring back at her like an endless abyss of black; as if Tartarus was looking right into her soul, their bodies strewn everywhere so carelessly, like they didn't matter. Persephone loved children …

Oh yes… the day for retribution was so close, she could almost taste Roman blood on her lips.

…


	28. Chapter: XXVII

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home**_

Raphael smirked as he read his lady Irene's latest demand; she clearly did not trust her brother. Raphael was doing a good job keeping them both happy and yet clueless. Dolus had complete and utter faith in his sister and Raphael wished he could say the same about Irene; her new command had been to spy on her own brother. She felt that he was much too soft to take this on and felt that he would manage to ruin things at the last moment.

The both of them fed him their stories not knowing he was spying on the both of them for his original master…. Just a little while longer... he just had to put up with them a little while longer...

* * *

On the other side of town in Irene's apartments a young Briton with messy black hair and dark green eyes stood hidden in her vast wardrobe listening to a rather disconcerting conversation she was having with one of her hand maidens.

Harry fought to keep his presence unknown from his lover as he eavesdropped on her confessing a rather terrifying secret to her maid.

"The mixture…" came Irene's voice, "I want you to put it in my husband's wine cup come Solstice, do it when he has consumed enough and is inebriated… it will take a few hours to kill him and by then everyone will think he had died in his sleep." Her voice was calm and cold, sending a shiver down Harry's back.

"And the other mixture mistress?" Came another demure young woman's voice, that voice he assumed was the maid's.

"That one is for my brother, if he in any way gets in the way of my plans I will have him killed, Claudius was getting on my nerves so I decided to do away with him early." She laughed, her giggles ringing with calculated violence.

Harry wanted to in that second return to him home and wife, he had left his children and Rhea to follow Irene back to her homeland …. Rome.

Frankly he was a little disgusted with himself… he was the lover of a married woman and he himself was bound to another for life, he had two children with her! But he hadn't been able to resist it, a few months back when Rhea got word that her village had been annihilated and her sister had been taken captive she had begged and pleaded with her husband to go to Roma along with the Highland Escorts that were going to negotiate a peace treaty.

That was when he had met her…. Irene.

She was …. Unearthly, cold and beautiful in a way that Harry could never hope to possess, with her long waterfall of blonde hair and her cool green eyes that reminded him of the richest emeralds.

He hadn't been able to resist, didn't want to resist… he was much too caught up in the fact that she had noticed him. For months he hadn't thought about Rhea or Ruth or Aine…. Focusing only on Irene, her needs, her wants… she made him feel like a true man, Rhea was self-sufficient and didn't require Harry's assistance in everything, he felt macho and required around Irene, with her delicate sensibilities. It was as if these months had passed in a daze of love-making and dreams… they never shared what happened in their homes, in that way they were strangers…

But Harry was forced to confront the painful thought that came into his mind after he heard her conversation…. Would she expect him to do the same to his wife and daughters? Or would she take it upon herself to destroy them if they became an obstacle?

These last few months had been beautiful, she rarely gave him time to talk about his children or Rhea… but he was going to have to return to them sometime…. He loved Ruth and Aine, he loved Rhea too… Irene had been more of an unattainable diamond, Harry was not a selfish man, he had had his taste of her, spent blissful months ignoring his duty but he needed to do what he came here to, take Hermione back with him.

He had been so caught up in Irene that he had forgotten to look for his sister-in-law, for that he felt a real stab of guilt… she could be anywhere and anything could have happened to her and here he was, stuck in some fantasy that could never come true.

He needed to confront Irene, needed to tell her that he had to leave, look for Hermione.

"Come out Harry my love, I know you're in there." Came Irene's sultry voice, "I have been expecting you." She whispered sliding up to him and running one slim finger down his chest.

Harry shuddered in arousal, his body responding automatically to the familiar touch.

"Irene…" he said, swallowing… his throat suddenly dry, "You..you… know I love you, but I have to leave."

Suddenly Irene's hands jumped back… like she had been burned and she turned her livid green eyes to him. Harry winced, it was like those green emeralds were throwing darts of poison towards his heart.

"Leave?!" she spat coldly, her fists clenched by her side, as if to control her anger, "Where?! To go back to your uneducated, savage of a wife and your two brats!" she shrieked, her beautiful face contorting in anger. "What can they give you that I cannot!? What do you want!? Money, jewels! Name your price!? Everyone has a price!" she said savagely, stalking towards him… her green eyes glinting and her blonde hair seeming to be crackling with intensity.

"I came here to find my sister-in-law Hermione, Irene." He explained patiently, "I owe my wife that!"

Suddenly it was as if they were in the eye of the storm… her expression turned from savage anger to shrewd manipulation…. "Hermione you say?" she purred, walking in her swinging gait towards Harry, "Long auburn hair and amber eyes, tiny girl… speaks with an inland accent." She smirked… her eyes following him like a hunter follows a deer. Calculating, alert … lethal.

Harry moved back slightly and nodded his head.

"What if I told you that if you stayed with me… I would give her to you." She whispered into his ear with a wicked smile.

* * *

**Thank you so much for all your support guys! I really loved all your reviews and P.M, I'm glad this story means so much to so many of you and I hope I'm doing it justice! There are going to be Dramione scenes no worries. Other than that… all I can say is thank you! Thank you for your support! **

**Please do review **


	29. Chapter : XXVIII

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home**_

Outside Draconis was busy with war play; his troops were renewing their training for hard combat. Romans troops rarely fought atop horses, infantry was their main battle strength.

Draconis was _Praetor or_ the commander of a field army; the field army consisted of several legions, a Legion was made up of ten Cohorts which in turn were made up of over four hundred and eighty fighting infantry/ foot soldiers.

Leonardo Di-Medici was his _Tribune _or second – in – command, Helios Emilano was the _Prefect _or the third – in – command and in charge of the cavalry. It was his job to see to the Gladius's which were short swords , the Pilums which were sharp javelins, the Hastas which were essentially long, cutting spears and all other weaponry, after him Aelius who was the _Primus pilus_ - commanding centurion for the first cohort - the senior centurion of the entire legion.

The _Munifex _and _Tirones_ ; that is the lowest ranked legionaries and the newest recruits practiced of the side while Draconis, Teo, Leonardo and Teo's Tribune discussed in hushed voices the battle plays they were going to use.

He kept an eye on them from the periphery of his sweeping silver gaze, noting almost unconsciously which legionnaires needed work on their weapon training. Draconis's own specialization was _Sciabola_ or a saber, two wickedly curving blades with wide curving arches that ended tapering towards the hilt that he usually held in both hands while fighting, along with that Draconis's knife throwing was lethal, he never missed… his daggers or the _Pugio_ were sharp and could penetrate the armors weak links.

Teo was a _Sagittarius _; a Roman archer, his entire unit comprised of long distance infantry, all with the same reinforced bows made of bone and wood, held together with sinew and hide glue.

They were all training hard, sweat beaded and ran down Draconis's back and to the waistband of his breeches.

Hermione looked out of the window at the ruthless training and felt cold; she could make out by the way the Commander held himself they were preparing for war. Her eyes were inexplicably drawn to Draconis again and again as she tried to analyze his expressionless face; he gave of such an aura of power that it was hard not to look at him.

He and Teo both stood right in front of the training warriors; their faces stoic and cold, once in a while conversing or helping a young officer to strap on his armor or rebalance his javelin.

Hermione heard him give a command in Latin, calling all the legionnaires to one place. Now they were going to have real battle scenario… one of the things that Hermione found most disgusting about Roman fighting tactics, it meant a senior officer would beat the hell out of a younger officer as part of 'training' but much to her surprise Draconis went first.

Carefully helping the young Tirone to block his attacks better, how to deal with the heavy spear or the light Pilum, the other soldiers gathered around them, observing their commander with utmost concentration as he demonstrated new battle technique and showed them how to improve old ones.

He had Hermione's grudging respect for that, her father had always said that a man's worth could be judged by not how he treated his superiors and equals but by how he treated his juniors and inferiors.

He was clearly a good commander his men eyed him with respect and admiration but not agnostically. They liked him, they liked that he treated them as human beings instead of just war machines with no souls and nothing to lose. They liked that he remembered where he came from even though he had reached so high at such a young age, they liked that he genuinely cared about whether they lived or died in battle, they liked that he didn't bully the junior officers and the new recruits but instead gave them the respect they deserved. He wasn't their friend but they respected him and took pride in being part of his field command.

When Draconis gave the command for break-up the legionaries collapsed where they were, it had been an exhausting day but all the senior officers headed towards the house and Hermione and Noor headed out to serve the tired soldiers food.

"Hurry back." the cook warned, "You have to go to the master's chambers next, Jupiter knows we need all the help we can get with Iris and Jade both down with the wretched flu and Sylvia having her baby." She said hurriedly giving them huge platters of savory meat and cheese packed in sweet smelling herbs and along with that a huge carafe of sweet lemon and ice.

The legionnaires carried their own utensils as part of their packs, along with armor, weapons and dry rations.

Hermione had been very surprised when she found out that most of the legionnaires were married to foreign slaves brought back from the different lands Rome had conquered, like Sylvia who was married to a young man who was centurion of the third cohort in the commander's Legion, she had lived in the slave quarters when she was first brought back from Frankfurt but then she had met Antonius and when they were married they had moved into a cottage of their own, when she had expressed her surprise over this she had got a very caustic look from the cook and a tart sarcastic, "If you stopped running away and found a nice young man to marry maybe you could be free too, Sylvia works here because she needs the money…. After she got married she was no longer a slave to the master. You know girl… there are other ways to gain your freedom." She had scoffed and turned back to tend to her broth.

The idea now struck her again as she moved from solider to solider serving them food and graciously accepting their grateful comments and appreciative gazes, Hermione also noticed some nasty wounds and offered to mix a salve to stem the pain. Many of the legionaries were unused to such kindness and immediately thanked her.

Handing Noor her platter, Hermione collect the lavender, opium poppy and heliotropes she had seen growing in the garden the other day, added water and mixed it into a mushy paste to apply to the wounds. Flowers were many thankfully because so were the wounded.

Hermione worked quickly until the very last legionary was left, smiling she applied the mixture to a large gash.

"There!" she said triumphant, "Wash it of tonight and it will stop stinging and bleeding." She smiled looking up and meeting the intense eyes of the young man. Hermione caught her breath when he looked at her with slanting amber eyes… eyes the color of the setting sun.

He was beautiful… there was no other word to describe him…. Beautiful….

Slim, lithe limbs … long and fluid, long dark hair the color of tree barks and features crafted so finely that Hermione felt like his face was sculpted from a chiseling tool, a long slim nose, uneven lips… a full bottom one and a spare upper lip. For a second longer his intense eyes held her and then without a word he reached for her hand and brought it towards his mouth and placed a gentle kiss on her translucent skin, all the while his intense eyes holding her prisoner. The kiss was light… like the brush of a butterfly wing.

His haunting eyes had placed her in a trance and by the time she awoke… he had already disappeared.

….

**The More REVIEWS! I get the more I write, so review!**


	30. Chapter : XXIX

_**When the Butterflies Fly Home**_

Hermione quietly served Draconis, not noticing his lingering eyes because she was still caught in the web that the mysterious stranger had woven over her senses. His spell lingered on her body… making it tense and edgy, on the verge of flight.

The quite hush of the room was broken by the door slamming and the appearance of a panting legionary.

"My lord!" he cried, his childish eyes wide with fear, "The Zabini family was attacked!"

Draconis switched from his comfortable casual mood immediately into commando mode, Teo was the same, his relaxed posture became stiff with anger and dare she say… a little fear.

"What the fuck!" Teo swore angrily.

Draconis strode forward, pushing Hermione behind him gently, "How many survivors?" he said, his question like the slice of a sword.

The young legionary looked down and said softly, "Only one my lord… Lady Luna, the slaves, the guards everyone was slaughtered." He said, swallowing painfully as a few tears leaked down his young face.

"Blaise?" said Teo, his voice faintly pained, "What about Blaise?"

"He hasn't been found yet my lord." Said the legionary.

Draconis's face remained hard, but Teo spoke anyway, "There is some hope… there has to be Draconis!? He can't be dead!"

"Tell yourself that Teo, it's the only way we can find him without giving up hope." Draconis said darkly, glowering down at the floor but otherwise not showing any other emotion. "Noor, Hermione, pack a bag… some food, new clothes, some medicine and anything else you can think of use, we are going to Luna's house. You will take care of her, her maids are obvious gone now and she will be in need of comfort… comfort that we cannot provide." He said, his eyes leveling with Hermione's as if he was challenging her to try and defy him.

But Hermione had other things on her mind, her belly felt like it was in the middle of a wide ocean storm, she fought to keep the bile from getting past her throat and out of her mouth. Blood…. There was going to be so much blood she thought in dread.

"Well get to it." Draconis snapped coldly, not a trace of sympathy in his hard eyes.

Hermione followed her friend down to the kitchen and saw as Noor's shock was replaced by deep sadness, whilst packing tears began to drip down both girls faces yet they bravely soldiered on unwilling to be encumbered by their sadness.

Hermione did not know Lady Luna personally but she felt sad because it was a terrible thing… such mass murder was only done by those who had totally lost their humanity.

Teo walked into the kitchens and nodded to Hermione who was done with her pack, "He's waiting for you." He told her and waited for her to leave the room.

As soon as she left he bent down near the quietly crying girl and ran a hand though Noor's silky hair, "You have to be prepared." He told her firmly, "It's a massacre, come on." He said, gently sliding a hand under her elbow and helping her up.

Noor's dark eyes met Teo's pale green ones, "Why are people so cruel to one another?" she whispered her voice almost childish.

Teo felt anger… anger at her innocence, anger at her faith in people, fury that even though she had been through so much she refused to believe the world was just a fucked up place with ruthless bastards and manipulative bitches who would chew her up and spit her out alive… just barely.

"Come on…" he said roughly, "Let's go." He averted his eyes from her; they say eyes are the windows to the soul and Noor had a pure soul. She was the kind of person Romans preyed on, vulnerable and loyal… a dangerous combination to have in this dark, detestable world.

Outside Draconis lifted Hermione onto his horse before sliding on behind her, he was so stiff… his ridged body made Micklos nervous and he whinnied uncomfortably. But Draconis was too preoccupied to soothe him so Hermione gently patted his shiny black coat.

"Was she hurt?" Draconis demanded.

The centurion who had found the Lady screaming replied with painful clarity, "Physically? She is unscathed. Mentally? Who knows if she can ever recover from the shock of seeing dead bodies littered all around her?"

Teo and Noor emerged from the house, Two's face Hermione noted was flushed with anger and roughly he put the younger girl in front of him on a horse.

Soon Draconis, Hermione, Noor and Teo were riding with an escort of an entire cohort towards the Zabini mansion, it was close by. Hermione could make out legionaries walking in and out of the house, their faces twisted into a mask of fear, anxiety and anger, talking in hushed voice.

As soon as they dismounted Draconis took command and had the house cleaned while Hermione and Noor tended to Lady Luna who was in no shape to even get up much less talk.

When they entered her room, she had been lying motionless on her bed, her blank blue eyes gazing up at the ceiling. She had soiled herself… gently the two girls had led her out of her bed and taken her to the large bath connecting her room to her garden and stripped her, given her a bath and redressed her in clean clothes again.

Hermione cleaned the filthy bed and remade it, quickly tugging the soiled sheets of and replacing them with fresh lavender scented silk ones while Noor calmly talked to the unresponsive blonde woman, she was like a lifeless marionette, finally Hermione summoned her courage and left the room to go and prepare some broth.

Her eyes fell from blood stain to blood stain, imagining the bodies lying there motionless, with their eyes open and their mouths agape in surprise. This had been a sneaky, underhanded, vicious attack… beheading them in their sleep so that they couldn't even fight back.

"Do you think it was the rebels?" came a soft whisper from an alcove ahead of her.

"Of course it was the rebels!" she recognized Draconis's voice; full of fury and agony as he came to terms with his friend's disappearance.

Rebels…. Hermione thought with a startling revelation… Dolus and Raphael, they were behind this! Hermione felt sick again and before she could stop herself she retched into the corner, putrid, acrid, vile vomit flowing out of her body as if it was the only release she could have.

"Hermione?" came Draconis's voice from above her. She got up but refused to look at him, she was sure he would be able to see the guilt and anger in her wide doe eyes.

"Kitchen… I have to get to the kitchen." She rasped

Hesitantly he reached for her and wiped her mouth with his cloak, "Better now?" he asked gently, studying her bent head. "You know it's nothing to be ashamed of little warrior, this was the natural response."

"You called me that before." She whispered.

When he gave her a confused look she guiltily dragged her eyes away, "Little warrior… you called me that the first time we met. The night you saved me from the wolves."

Realization dawned and instead of saying anything he just brought her body close, "Come…" he said, his voice kinder, "I'll take you to the kitchen."

And for once Hermione just let him lead her though the ravaged, bloody house."

* * *

**REVIEW! Or no update :D (just kidding) **

**Okay guys on a more serious note, I need to know. Are there many mistakes in my story? Do I need to change something, spelling, grammar? Please tell me if I do. **


End file.
